Amazone is remaining true to form with its choice of coulter concept and is using individually depth-guided chisel coulters. The machine concept for the new Condor is designed to meet the demand for further expansion of sown area with extremely wide working widths of over 12m, wider row spacing and less invasive seed placement. The seed drill will initially be available with working widths of 12m and 15m. The use of the folding concept from the Citan series means that even the Condor 15000 can achieve a remarkable transport width of just 3m.
The new ConTeC coulter is characterised by optimum soil penetration and correct, vertical adaptation to the ground, thanks to the following packer wheel. As well as perfect depth control, this enables reconsolidation, which is so important in dry regions to achieve optimum contact between the seed and soil.
The sowing depth can be set accurately at the coulter to between 0-10cm. The flexible connection between the frame elements and the coulter is formed by tried-and-tested rubber sprung mounting elements. This allows undulations in the ground of up to 65cm to be compensated for while the placement depth remains the same.
The distance of 25cm between coulters on a three stagger layout and the frame height of 80cm ensures that work continues without blockages, even if there are large quantities of straw or if the straw is not evenly distributed.
The coulter tips are equipped with a hard-metal face made from a tungsten carbide/cobalt alloy, which ensures an extremely long service life of the working parts even under the most arduous of conditions.
The coulter arm is made from special spring steel that also allows horizontal movement. This means that obstacles can be avoided and that the chisel coulter can move to in between the rows of stubble from the previous crop.
The coulter pressure can be adapted to the conditions hydraulically by rotating the frame elements. In extreme conditions, a pressure of up to 120kg can be set per coulter.
| The use of the folding concept from Amazone’s Citan series means that even the Condor 15000 can achieve a remarkable transport width of just 3m. |
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A new pressurised tank is fitted to the Condor series. With a capacity of 8,000 litres in two sections (2/3 seed and 1/3 fertiliser), filling times are kept to a minimum. The familiar Vario gearbox allows metered quantities of 2-400kg of seed and is therefore suitable for all practical applications. The fertiliser is placed into the sowing slit with the seed. In this way, a suitable initial dosage (when sowing winter corn) or optimum full fertilisation (when working with spring crops in extreme continental conditions) can be applied directly into the ground without losses.
All the components that are required for calibration are easily accessible on the left-hand side of the machine. By means of an isolation plate underneath the seed metering system, it is possible to open only the left seed tube during calibration or only to sow a partial width section with the machine.
Thanks to the properties of the Condor that have been described, it is ideal when used for direct sowing of large-area farming. The coulter is only 12mm wide and thus only moves the soil as much as is absolutely necessary for optimum seed placement under the straw. This prevents ground water loss and lowers draught and diesel consumption.
In extensive tests under working conditions, 220hp of tractor power was sufficient for the Condor 12001, and on average only a spectacular 2.7 litres diesel/ha was required for the Condor 15001. Also under working conditions, the Condor 15001 was able to achieve a daily work rate (13hrs) of 150ha at a working speed of 9-10km/hr.
The new direct seed drill from Amazone gives farmers who are focussing purely on direct sowing all the opportunities to use this method to its full potential. Whether it is minimum soil interference that is required, the option to apply fertiliser with the seed, placement of the seed under the straw at an optimum depth with suitable reconsolidation, sowing a very wide range of crops or a reduction in costs – this is all possible with the new Condor.
For more information visit: www.amazone.co.uk.
