Intelligent spraying

AgroCentre has presented two novelties from Horsch: the Horsch Leeb 5.280VL self-propelled sprayer and the Horsch Leeb 12TD trailed sprayer. The intelligent sprayers for large areas have been showcased at Agrosalon 2020.

Troitskiye Nivy farming enterprise has already opted for the self-propelled Horsch Leeb 5.280VL, and AgroCentre is preparing to deliver the machine. Troitskiye Nivy is the district leader in grain production. Last year, the enterprise harvested 30,000 tonnes.

‘The farm specialises in cereal crops’, says Yevgeniy Ankudinov, Manager of Oryol branch of AgroCentreLiski. ‘The total farmland area is over 12,000 ha. Currently, Troitskiye Nivy has 14 trailed sprayers in the fleet, but after purchasing a Horsch Leeb 5.280VL, the management intends to reduce the number of trailed implements by half.’

The innovative Horsch Leeb 5.280VL features the ComfortDriveFlex Chassis, an infinitely variable all-wheel drive, an automated drive control system and a traction control system. The powerful 280-hp engine, the 5,000-litre tank and the radial pump with a capacity of 1,000 l/min ensure excellent performance.

‘An important advantage of the machine is the automated boom control’, explains Yevgeniy Ankudinov. ‘The distance to the ground is adjusted automatically depending on the terrain. The minimum distance is 25 cm. The boom control allows reducing the spraying height. If the boom is positioned high above the ground, the drops of the working liquid evaporate before touching the plants. This causes lower yields and unnecessary costs. The Horsch Leeb sprayer minimises these risks.’

The unique parallelogram suspension enables soft and smooth boom positioning even in hilly terrains and at a high operational speed.

‘The unique pneumatic suspension absorbs shock loads and vibrations, keeps the boom stable even at a speed of 25 km/h and facilitates spraying on slopes’, states Yevgeniy Ankudinov. ‘The clearance of up to 1.35 m and exact tracking exclude tramline damage. The front cabin on the central tube frame offers unhindered view and guarantees an optimum weight distribution regardless of the volume of the liquid in the tank.’

The Horsch Leeb 12TD trailed sprayer also offers automated boom position control ensuring efficient operation.

‘The heavy-duty 36-metre boom moves smoothly without damaging plants’, observes Sergey Panfilov, Manager of Oryol branch of AgroCentreLiski. ‘The implement is equipped with a 12,000-litre tank and the innovative tandem axle ensuring perfect coupling to a tractor.’

Novoye Vremya farm in Oryol oblast has chosen the Horsch Leeb 12TD. It is the first Horsch machine in its fleet. The enterprise grows rapeseed, wheat and barley on 1,000 ha. The management of the company has no doubts that the Horsch Leeb will deliver consistently efficient and precise performance in the field.

By Darya DENISOVA