Horsch has given its Pronto 9 DC disc cultivator drill a makeover, which includes the addition of a significantly bigger hopper to reduce downtime.

Previously, the 9m iteration of the versatile seeder had a maximum twin-tank capacity of 5,000 litres for grain and fertiliser, but this is now a roomier 6,000 litres.

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With the optional “precision placement fertiliser” (PPF) disc system, chosen nutrients can be placed a few centimetres below the seed furrow via a separate fertiliser coulter for optimum plant uptake.

And as an alternative to the firm’s longstanding TurboDisc seed coulter, the Pronto 9 DC is available with the ParaDisc parallelogram version launched at Agritechnica 2023 and previously only available on the Pronto 7 DC.

This is designed to maintain optimum seed placement in very heavy or stony soils, thanks to its higher working pressure range of 25-150kg, versus the TurboDisc’s 15-125kg.

Other highlights include new wheel track eradicators and a beefed-up frame that still folds inside the European road-compliancy sweet spot of 3m wide and 4m high.

The new Versa 7 SW has 6,300 litres of grain and fertiliser capacity © Adam Clarke

New width option for Versa

The German company has extended its Versa SW range of power harrow drills, adding a new 7.2m-wide 7 SW model to the existing 6 SW primarily for arable units operating on 36m tramlines.

Like the Pronto revamp, the Versa 7 SW benefits from a bigger hopper that offers a maximum grain and fertiliser capacity of 6,300 litres.

There’s also been a rejig of the seed wagon concept, with it and the power harrow now connected to their own sets of transport wheels.

This eliminates the need to hydraulically move the tyre packer under the power harrow, resulting in a better machine balance during road travel.

The large 700/50 R22.5 tyres on the main wheels – alongside two additional wheels on each side that fold up during transport – are said to improve weight distribution across the width of the machine when in work. Horsch says this is particularly advantageous in heavy or wet soil conditions.

At the back, TurboDisc coulters on 15cm spacings get seed into the ground.

The pto driveline from tractor to power harrow has also been revamped, now running lower and straighter underneath the hopper for smoother operation.

Finally, there’s an optional oil cooler that can be integrated into the hopper, with a higher fan position to minimise the amount of dust particles sucked in and reduce service requirements and downtime.

New seeding option for better-balanced Focus TD F

For Horsch’s Focus 6.30 TD F strip-till drill, a redesigned three-point linkage system interface to the rear of the machine has been shifted closer to the rear tyre packer.

The drill deep loosens, places fertiliser, and seeds all in one pass, and the F version allows operators to change from a traditional seeding bar at 15cm spacings for cereals to a Maestro bar at 30cm for oilseed rape.

The linkage system carrying the seeding bar of choice is now much shorter, bringing weight forwards towards the tyre packer. This makes the machine more stable when in transport on the road.

Familiar coulter options include the TurboDisc III double-disc system, narrow TurboEdge tines and the WideEdge tine coulter, which creates a seed band up to 7cm wide. A new option is the ParaDisc parallelogram disc coulter for those seeking higher working pressure.

Prices for the new Pronto 9 DC and Versa 7 SW will be released in October. The Focus TD F starts at £125,500.