For those customers who still plant maize without plastic but may not have the acreage to justify a dedicated maize drill, the previously launched Pöttinger Aerosem PCS drill targeting this market has now received an upgrade.

This means it can now plant in double rows 12.5cm apart as opposed to the more regular single rows. The space between the outer rows is still 75cm.

This drill is unusual in the market as from the outside it looks like a normal one-pass but in fact can plant both cereals and maize seed with minimal changes.

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The advantages of the Duplex seed system, according to Pöttinger, are increased yield by up to 5.5% from numerous trials conducted across Hungry, Austria and Germany.

Output

There is also increased output thanks to the higher driving speed. The crop also can be planted with fertiliser with no alteration to the maize harvester required to accommodate the extra rows.

Pöttinger added that planting maize in a double row creates the perfect distribution density conditions as more light, more water and more nutrients are available to the plants.

Moreover, the whole maize crop can absorb more sunlight because the plants do not shade each other as much as in a conventional formation.