CONTOUR FARMING
ContourFarming is the automatic adaption of the metering revolutions over the working width of the machine when cornering. For crops like maize, sunflowers or sugar beet the optimum seed size or the desired population density is indicated by the breeder depending on the variety and the site. These specifications mostly are based on tests. Every variety has certain tolerance range, e. g. from 60 000 to 75 000 plants per hectare. The seed quantity should also be in this range, even on the headlands and even when cornering. The HORSCH Maestro line with its individually electrically driven metering units is the ideal basis for the integrating of an automatic adaption of the seed quantity when cornering. The equipment option ContourFarming for the Maestro 16, 24 and 36 SW also includes two additional radar sensors for speed detection that are mounted at the end of each wing section of the machine and records the speed. The standard radar sensor is in the middle of the machine. If the machines drives into a corner, the inner radar sensor registers a lower speed and the outer one a higher speed. If the difference is more than 0.6 km/h, every single row motor of the metering devices is supplied – automatically based on fixed control curve – with a value that has been corrected in relation to the speed change. As a result, measured by the time unit, the machine places less seed in the inside rows and more seed in the outside area. Thus, the seed quantity per hectare remains constant. This process runs automatically and allows for making optimum use of the yield potential of the respective plant.
WITH ContourFarming
The seed quantity per row does not change when turning.
WITHOUT ContourFarming
The seed quantity is higher in the bend – on the outside it is lower