23 June 2021
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Direct seed drill showcased
BRITISH manufacturer izona is showcasing its new direct seed drill at this year’s Groundswell Event at Lannock Manor Farm (CLICK HERE FOR EVENT DETAILS).
Over the two days, visitors to the show’s direct drill demonstration site can see the izona iPass 624 in action, which the company markets as a versatile concept that can carry out no-tillage, strip tillage and conventional tillage seeding.
The izona iPass is the brainchild of farmer and engineer, Martin Lole, who is well known in the industry.
Boasting a 7,000 litre split tank, the iPass can accommodate four bags of fertiliser and six bags of seed to allow an output of up to 16ha per tank fill when based on a 180kg/ha seed rate. The tank is pressurised for metering and conveying high application rates efficiently and at speed. A twin ladder platform has been incorporated for access to the tank lids for filling and inspection.
The monocoque chassis features a commercial axle fitted with hydraulic brakes as standard whilst floatation tyres give the drill a sympathetic footprint. Operators can upgrade to air brakes if required.
Interchangeable front points and coulters allows the iPass to be converted from a no-till drill to a strip till or conventional drill at the push of a roll pin. Operators can choose 2” single shoot and 3” and 5” double shoot coulters to achieve different row spacings to suit different seeding techniques. 250mm row spaced models, such as the 6 metre iPass 624 and the 8 metre iPass 832 can achieve a conventional seed row finish using the 5” coulter which drills individual rows evenly spaced apart across the width of the drill. The iPass can also be available in 333mm row spacings with models including the 618 and the 824.
Auto-reset leading tines and front discs clear crop residue from the seeding zone to produce a clean till of moist friable soil whilst band placing fertiliser to promote good root development. Seeding coulters are suspended via a parallel linkage that allows independent control from the cultivation zone whilst also ensuring that the coulter angle is unaffected by depth for accurate seed placement. A unique universal joint system gives the independent, hydraulically pressurised coulter arm exceptional self-steering capabilities and allows the coulter to follow the ground for even establishment across undulating fields.
