A Triton Side-Press Seed Drill 4m took three days to direct drill 440 acres of rape early in September 2017 when no other tractors in the area could cope with the wet conditions. The farm in the Midlands was on heavy wet clay and the fields lay under chopped straw.
The drilling programme was back on track with spot rates of up to 20 acres an hour. That farmer has now re-drilled rape for several other farmers who did not have success behind their own drills.
Drilling at just 2.4kg seed to the hectare, plant populations going into this winter are ideal due to the unique Triton 2 Stage Side-Press. Being able to drill rape perfectly into heavy wet clay, in the rain, is a refreshing experience… the plants come up in just a few days.
The seeding blades on a Side-Press Seed Drill 4m last for up to 2000 acres in clay soils and cost £1/acre to replace. As a true one-pass drill, fuel use is just 3l/acre – that’s just £1 an acre for full-crop establishment. No rolling is required unless it is very dry.
When it comes to wheat drilling the Triton Side-Press Seed Drill copes with ease. By drilling wheat in mid-November plenty of time is available make multiple false seed beds to get a high percentage black-grass seed reduction.
Late drilling on a 1000-acre unit can give the opportunity to reduce the herbicide stack down from £100/ha to £20/ha, saving up to £35,000 per year – there will also be less blackgrass and a higher yield, plus more crop options the following year.