John Deere’s designers have been beavering away adding a host of new machines to its ever-increasing line-up.

Here we take a look at some of the latest developments.

T-series combines

Straw walker combines are the biggest sellers for Deere in the UK and to keep that market flourishing the green giant has revamped its most popular range.

The new-generation T-series machines now have a larger separation area, bigger cleaning shoe and a faster unloading auger.

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This can dump the entire 11,000-litre tank contents into a trailer in less than 90 seconds meaning the trailer driver spends less time crawling alongside the combine.

Headers have got slicker, too, with the 600X series having a table that adjusts automatically according to crop type and a mechanical-drive side knife that can be clipped on in less than a minute.

T-series buyers also get the option of adding triangular track units from the bigger S-series rotary machines.

These reduce width to 3.3m on five-walker machines, 3.5m on the six-walker ones and have a healthy 40kph transport speed.

But the biggest changes are the internal ones.

At the front, the concave angle has been upped to eight degrees to enlarge the threshing area and a larger-diameter overshot beater has been fitted to prevent straw getting too bashed up.

Deere has also added a new booster rasp bar at the front of the concave that can be put in and out of work by adjusting two bolts.

A set of de-awning plates can also be engaged by pulling one lever at the side of the machine.

To give a bigger cleaning area without adding any weight, Deere has opted for a new aluminium shoe. This has a sieve area of 6cu m and has been teamed up with a large barrel-type fan to help keep samples clean.

For those that get uptight about having a grubby, dust-laden harvester there is also the option of a built in compressor for blowing crud off at the end of the day.

W-series combines have also benefited from a few upgrades, including the aluminium cleaning shoe, quick-engage booster rasp bar and the option of track units.

6R and 6M tractors

After holding out for as long as it could, Deere has finally been forced to fit Adblue tanks to its small and mid-sized 6R tractors.

The change means buyers will to have to deal with the faff of filling with two fluids, but Deere has tried to compensate by adding a few nice-to-have features.

These include an updated command arm with integrated screen, pressure release levers on all spool valves and redesigned front axle suspension that’s supposedly smoother on the road.

The new models will be available from August 2015.

Large-frame 6R tractors with Adblue were launched in October 2014.

Simpler 6M tractors will also be getting an Adblue tank as well as a new bigger model in the range.

The 6195M is fitted with a 6.8-litre six-potter with a rated power of 195hp that boosts to 206hp.

Buyers have the option of several slightly different semi-powershift gearboxes with different levels of automation.

They will be available from November 2016.

Trailed sprayers

The biggest trailed sprayers in the Deere stable now come with the option of a clever new pump system that improves application accuracy.

Called Powrspray, it uses a pair of centrifugal pumps that are controlled by a brainy and expensive-looking electro-hydraulic block.

This does away with most of the components used in a traditional system and according to Deere improves spraying accuracy.

The first of the two pumps takes on filling duties and draws in water at a rate of 1,200-litres/min.

That leaves the second 1,000-litre-min pump to deal with supplying the spray lines.

This is capable of switching from minimum to maximum output in less than three seconds, meaning it can react quickly to any changes in speed. That means operators can gun it on the straights and be confident the rate will adjust accurately when they slow down for a headland turn.

B-Wrap bale wrap

Deere has teamed up with net-wrap specialists Tama to produce a round bale covering that keeps the elements out all winter.

The two-part wrap uses a Gore-tex style fabric against the bale that keeps water out, but lets the forage breathe to prevent it going mouldy. 

Two layers of net wrap then keep the whole thing together.

Deere has been testing the wrap in harsh US conditions and reckons it keeps bales in a similar fettle to those stored in a shed.

At about £4.60 a bale it’s far from cheap, but it might be worth having a couple of rolls handy.

The wrap works with Deere’s latest 700-, 800- and 900-series balers only.

Technology

Boffins working at John Deere’s software division have been busy adding to the maker’s sizable range of precision farming technology.

Several products are due to appear over the coming months including a tool to help contractors keep better records, a sensor for analysing slurry nutrients and an app that talks to rival makers’ machines.

All will be managed through Deere’s My John Deere website hub, which is free to use.

Buyers of new machines are also likely to be offered free trials of most of these services before they have to dip their hand in their pocket.