SULKY UK has launched its PROGRESS drill at LAMMA 2020.
The new multi-hopper combination seed drill provides effective drilling management, high work output and uncompromising planting accuracy for optimal yields.
Up to three independent hoppers, driven from a single interface, can be used to place seeds from different crop varieties or plant species, and granular fertiliser at once.
Sulky Burel, the French family-owned manufacturer known for its precision seed drills, fertiliser spreaders and cultivation equipment, developed the PROGRESS drill to further enable farmers to optimise their yields, and reduce costs, with the flexibility to drill in all conditions.
Rob Thurkettle, managing director of SULKY UK, says, “The multiple hopper configuration of the PROGRESS drill will provide farmers with flexibility. They can choose to drill just one crop, or drill a companion crop or second variety alongside their main crop, and if they wish, add granular fertiliser at the point of sowing.
“The benefits of using a one-pass combination drill include savings in time, money, and fuel, while the reduced number of passes reduces potential soil damage especially when drilling in less-than-ideal conditions. We know that many farmers struggled to get crops drilled this season after a very wet autumn, so this is where a combination drill like the PROGRESS can help.”
Thanks to SULKY’s exclusive technology, the universal metering unit of the PROGRESS drill allows all sizes of seed to be placed, from rapeseed to field beans, without the need to change the metering wheels.
The distributor head at the rear of the metering unit accurately distributes the mix of products from the independent hoppers, while centralised injection along with precision positioning, places granular fertiliser close to the seed.
The PROGERESS drill is available in three versions, each with different coulter units to meet specific requirements, according to soil type and drilling schedule:
- PROGRESS P20 with 20 kg Unisoc, 3 real rows, for simplicity and efficiency
- PROGRESS P50 with 50 kg Twindisc, a double disc on parallelogram, for high accuracy
- PROGRESS P100 with 100 kg Cultidisc, with a single notched disc, for versatility in difficult conditions
SULKY has also launched a new interface, WISO, developed to control the PROGRESS drill. Available on SULKY’s ISOBUS QUARTZ console, iPad, or through the tractor’s own compatible ISOBUS console, the WISO interface provides access to all drill functions.
Operators who use WISO on an iPad over Wi-Fi will be able to control the drill from outside the cab, making it easier to perform calibration tests.
Precision placement is a key feature of the PROGRESS drill. Operators can use GPS positioning to manage the automatic metering devices, including stop/start at headlands, and automatic rate adjustment via maps. The drill can also cater for independent maps for each product applied. This advanced tailoring of drill output maximises efficiency, yield and cost management.
SULKY has also improved user ergonomics to allow easier and more accurate calibration when the machine is set up. Centralised operations allow adjustments to rates to be made accurately and quickly.
Operator safety has also been improved. The three hoppers and metering devices can easily be reached via a rear gangway and retractable access platform, and operators handling treated seed or fertiliser products can now wash their hands thanks to a water supply incorporated into the machine.
The PROGRESS P50 seed drill was awarded “Machine of the Year 2019” at SIMA 2019 in the seed drill category, and was shown to International farmers at Agritechnica in November 2019.
The PROGRESS drill is available to order now from SULKY dealers and direct from SULKY UK.
