Flexible all-rounder
In the usually short spring season, efficiency and impact are of great importance. To meet these requirements even for smaller structures, HORSCH has developed the Maestro TX, an innovative precision single grain seed drill that stands out due to its versatility and flexibility. Thomas Murr explains the special features of the machine and why it is an "all-rounder".
Adaptability
The HORSCH Maestro TX is a compact single grain seed drill with 3-point linkage for universal use. A hydraulic slide telescopic frame is standard equipment. The working widths thus range from 2.60 m to 4.80 m.
With the Maestro 6 TX all common row spacings from 45 cm to 80 cm can be adjusted variably to six rows in 5-cm-steps. In addition, it can work with a row spacing of 37.5 cm or 40 cm. The maximum row spacing for seven rows amounts to 65 cm. When deactivating the middle row of the 7 TX, you can sow conventionally with six rows at a row spacing of 75 and 80 cm.
Thus, in addition to the common single grain crops, the Maestro TX is also ideal for more specific uses, e.g. in the sector of seed breeding or for different row widths within the working width. This versatility allows the farmers to use the machine to full capacity and use it all year long what in turn has a positive effect on the machine costs per hectare.
As an option, the microgranular hopper with a capacity of 20 l can be attached to each row of the Maestro TX. It either distributes the material directly into the seed furrow or by means of a baffle widely across the row. With SectionControl, besides the seed, the microgranule hopper, too, can be switched off individually at each row. Thus, seed and microgranule are applied precisely and in a cost-saving way.
Technology & software
All this is combined with the already well-known features of the larger HORSCH Maestro lines: high stability and a wide parallelogram connection, AutoForce and high coulter pressure for direct and mulch seeding and the well-proven AirSpeed and (in the future also) AirVac metering system.
As an option, the Maestro TX can be equipped with a 1,300 l fertiliser hopper. The fertiliser is applied with two well-proven HORSCH metering devices at the single disc fertiliser coulters for underground fertilisation. Thus, the machine is equipped with a fertiliser half-width control as standard. This guarantees a targeted and efficient nutrient supply of the crop.
The overpressure system AirSpeed allows for operational speeds of up to 15 km/h with absolute precise placement and an optimum embedding of the grain.
To guarantee a regular sowing quality even in changing conditions, the machine can charge up to 250 kg coulter pressure per row. Due to the integrated weight transfer system a coulter pressure of up to 300 kg per row is possible. It is controlled manually in the cabin or fully automatically with AutoForce.
The TX is the first Maestro to be controlled with the new operating system I-Manager.
The display of this new, state-of-the-art user interface can be configured individually. It offers more variants with regard to the products that are to be applied and allows for an easy reconfiguration of the set row widths. The sowing accuracy is monitored according to the known variables variation coefficient as well as double seed and gaps.
CUSTOMER STATEMENT
Médéric (l.) and Samuel Cardeillac run a small arable farm in Gers, more precisely in Montréal du Gers. They are always looking for solutions to increase the rentability of their farm. Like many farmers in the south-west of France, they therefore prefer crops with an added value: seed maize, seed beets, popcorn maize, seed rape, green beans, soya and sunflowers.
They tested the Maestro 7 TX and tell us about their experiences:
“In our region, there are more and more heavy storms with very high rainfall. This is why we sowed soybeans direct to minimise erosion. The only seed drill we found that was able to put enough pressure on the seed elements is the Maestro. We had to apply a pressure of 230 kg to make the seed element penetrate our calciferous clay soils with cotton as a previous crop.
This year, sowing conditions were difficult. It was very wet. But we still managed to sow and to close the seed furrow without any previous tillage. The main reason was the finger press wheel which is recommended for direct seeding.
We sowed at a speed of 11 km/h with a spacing of 60 cm and with 450,000 grains per hectare. It took us only 20 minutes to convert the machine from maize to soya. We only had to replace the metering disc and the ejection wheel. The singulator does not have to be adjusted.
A small fly in the ointment: The machine is a little bit heavy. But this is necessary to apply pressure on the stable seed element in direct seed conditions.
As a tractor we used a four-cylinder tractor with 130 hp. This was completely sufficient for the use without fertiliser.”
Large market
The market for this type of machine in Europe is extremely varied. The Maestro TX will be the most flexible HORSCH single grain seed drill. “With the Maestro TX we want to expand our product portfolio and add new functions to offer also smaller farms a machine of the professional segment”, Thomas Murr explains. A compact high-end machine thus meets the existing interest of HORSCH customers.
This year, 20 pre-series machines were tested in Europe. Demonstrations were carried out in France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. The objective was to show the Maestro TX to the customers of the main markets and to gather experiences with this type of machine on site.
Three Maestro 7 TX of the pre-series were put to test – two in France and one in Hungary. These are the markets where the “all-rounder” is in great demand due to its wide range of applications.