Horsch has broadened its Avatar direct disc drill offering with three new models – 8m, 9m and 10m.

These are configured to the same 25cm row spacing and specifications as the 12m Avatar 12.25 SD launched last year, opening that format to a wider range of farmers without quite as much horsepower at their disposal.

Below the newcomers – the Avatar 8.25 SD, 9.25 SD and 10.25 SD – comes the existing line-up of smaller models that runs from 3m to 8m, all of which are set to 16.7cm row spacings.

However, the 25cm spacing is proving popular on the 12m model, says Horsch, with customers apparently reporting little, if any, yield loss in most crops, despite the lower input costs.

See also: Driver’s view: Lionel Shaw’s Horsch Avatar drill

As standard, the Avatar SDs comes with a 60/40 split in its vast 6,400-litre hopper.

There is also the option of upgrading to a triple-tank setup and adding the firm’s MiniDrill, allowing up to four products to be applied via the SingleDisc seed coulters.

Ahead of these, buyers can spec a set of trash wheels to remove stubble debris, stones and clods from the row, reducing the risk of hair-pinning and thus maintaining decent sowing accuracy and good seed-to-soil contact.

Maximum down pressure on the coulters can be set on the hydraulic system, up to a maximum of 350kg/coulter, and the recommended working speed is anything between 6kph and 15kph, depending on the conditions.