The new high-speed Maxidrill 10 Series seeder from French maker Sky offers growers the chance to lay three products in one pass.

First seen at Agritechnica in 2017, the overhauled Fertisem version can individually meter seed, fertiliser and slug pellets, which are fed into a pair of distribution circuits that can place them at two different depths.

The upshot of this, says UK importer Opico, is that fertiliser application can be better targetted to reduce excessive application and minimise blockages caused by mixing the two materials in damp conditions.

This is particularly useful in Scotland where crops have a shorter growing window and need to get off to the best possible start.

Where three or more products are sown, the third product can be introduced to either of the distribution circuits and sown at the same depth as the first or second product.

The three hoppers each have their own electronic metering units and are operated by a single control unit in the tractor cab.

See also: Direct drilling brings long-term rewards in Wiltshire

Sky has also streamlined its coulter to improve performance where crop residue volumes are high. Pressure on each coulter is adjustable up to 120kg and depth is tweaked through the parallelogram frame.

The company claims that the MaxiDrill has the largest coulter stagger on the market to keep residue flowing and to help it work in wet, sticky and trashy conditions late into the season.

Cultivation discs have been altered too, with new sealed hubs and a rubber shock absorber on each disc to provide stone and shock protection.

The new Series 10 MaxiDrill is available in 3m, 4m or 6m models with or without the third micro-hopper and is claimed to be comfortable in min-till systems, ploughed and prepared seedbeds, or as a direct drill in favourable conditions.

A separate transport axle can be used in wet ground to lift the pressure off the cultivation and seeding elements, preventing blockages and keeping the drill working.

Prices start at £79,632.