Seed drills in Ireland are usually set at a row width of between 12 and 16cm.

However, some other countries use wider row spacings, especially where drought can be an issue.

They have some relevance to Ireland too.

Wide row spacings can allow more airflow through the crop which can reduce humidity and dry the crop more quickly, therefore reducing the risk of wet weather diseases establishing themselves in the crop.

At Cereals 2026, machinery company Horsch displayed the Horsch Avatar 12.25 SD, a direct drill available in widths of between 8 and 18m.

The drill can be used in all establishment systems from no-till to ploughed ground.

Horsch says the drill is becoming popular with 25cm row spacings, which the manufacturer says helps to improve the passage of crop residue between the single disc coulters.

The wide spacing allows for inter-row weeding to take place with mechanical weeders due to the extra space and a reduced risk of damaging the crop.

It helps to maintain a stale seed bed and retain moisture in the soil through reduced soil disturbance.

Fewer seed coulters in contact with the soil can reduce horsepower requirements too.

Variety selection

Horsch teamed up with seed company KWS at Cereals 2026 to showcase how some cereal varieties are more suited to wide row spacings than others.

KWS stated that a variety should have good early vigour to get a crop established quickly and to improve rooting.

A strong tillering ability will then help to fill in the rows and create a uniform canopy.

Good lodging resistance and stiff straw is needed to reduce the risk of lodging.

KWS Scope was given as an example of a winter wheat variety suited to this system.

The wide row spacing suits some crops more than others. Winter cereals, beans and oilseed rape have good potential for this system but there could be issues with crops such as spring barley due to the short growing season and an increased risk of brackling at wide row spacings.