Triple calculation

The preparation for the autumn seeding at AgroCentre started with demonstrations. In Penza oblast, 45 hectares of Konstantinovo Closed Joint Stock Company have been sown with winter wheat by minimum and no-till technology using Challenger and Vaderstad equipment. The principal purpose was to see and compare results obtained with different methods. 

In the first case, the seeding was performed using the 8-metre drilling system Rapid Vaderstad mated to the Massey Ferguson 8690 tractor following cultivation by the TopDown, which had prepared the soil for seeding.  

In the second case, the self-same Rapid drilled on an uncultivated of madwort stubble with simultaneous tilling. The operating speed was 18 km/h. 

“The special feature of Rapid drill’s operation on the stubble is that the front discs create a mulching layer at shallow cultivation of crop residues,” says Artyom Simbulatov, head of the Penza branch of AgroCentreZakharovo LLC. “This creates a sort of a blanket protecting the soil against water and wind erosion and retaining moisture. This is important given the recent years’ irregular rainfall. If the soil is treated right and organic fertilisers are introduced correctly, the productivity may exceed 5 tonnes per hectare.”

The No-Till Technology was demonstrated by the Challenger Single Disc pneumatic grain seeding system with the CH 685 D (340 hp) tractor. The seeder with an operating width of 12.2 m worked directly on the stubble without pre-tilling.
The maximum pressure on one disc is 260 kg. The grain bin capacity is 10 tonnes. The between-row space varies from 15 to 23 cm. According to Artyom Simbulatov, such a space gives each row a sufficient amount of warmth and moisture as the seed germinates.

Today, the Challenger Single Disc drilling system successfully operates on the farms of Penza oblast, for instance, at the Dimitrovo Limited Partnership and Zernovaya Kompaniya LLC. Pavel Kozlov, Konstantinovo CJSC Director-General is quite pleased with results of the demonstration crops.   

“Both seeders are high technology systems. They are fast, precise, and powerful,” remarks Pavel Kozlov. “They did a fine job using both minimum and no-till technologies. Now we must provide the right care and look forward to the harvest and economic effect.” 

Further work on herbicide treatment and top-dressing of the crops will be done by AgroCentre jointly with the AgroStroiInvest Company.