Pöttinger Aerosem is a true all-rounder

Pöttinger’s new Duplex Seed provides users with the convenience of one drill for cereals, maize (grain and silage), grass companion crops and fertiliser. Available on Aerosem PCS seed drills, the Duplex Seed drills double rows of offset maize plants with a spacing of 12.5cm, and a row spacing between each set of double rows of 75cm. In addition to increasing yield by up to 10%, the company says it also allows for higher driving speeds of up to 10km/hr. Double-row drilling provides 30% more space between the seeds and up to 70% more space available for each plant. This allows the roots to spread out much easier, and there is also less risk of erosion. Ground shade is also improved, says the company, which helps to reduce soil moisture losses and suppress late weeds. It is said to be an easy job to convert the drill between cereals and maize, and the double rows of maize can be harvested using standard headers.  2015 tests at the University for Soil Sciences in Vienna with the Duplex Seed in maize silage and maize grain crops resulted in yield increases of 11% and 8% respectively. Pöttinger claims large scale tests this year in Hungary, Austria, Germany and France, also resulted in significant yield increases at all locations.