Horsch recently introduced “Canola Ready Technology” for its Maestro SW row crop planters. The new consists of a small-seeds kit, including a set of stainless steel seed discs and quick-change meter components for fast conversion from row crops to canola. 

The kit allows producers unmatched precision seed placement and significant input savings when seeding canola, the company says.

With the Maestro SW row crop planter equipped with Canola Ready Technology, canola producers are experiencing seed cost savings of 50% or more per acre vs. air seeders without sacrifice to yield, due to lower seed mortality rate and improved precision seed placement, the company says. 

“The seed savings alone in canola gains an extra $30-40 per acre of margin. Features such as individual row shut off to control seeding overlap, curve compensation, and auto row unit downforce control add even more seed savings,” says Jeremy Hughes, product manager at Horsch. “Beyond seed-cost savings, the uniform emergence and consistent crop development seen in seeding canola with the Maestro is adding tremendous benefits to crop health management and harvest quality. These all have positive benefits on the farmer’s bottom line.”

“The Corn Belt is moving north,” he adds. “Changes in crop rotations are shifting more toward canola/soybeans/small grains/corn in areas such as northern North Dakota and into the prairie provinces of western Canada. The past two generations of farmers have primarily used air seeder technology for seeding crops. As our producers seek more precise seeding technologies for canola, along with incorporating significant acres of soybeans and corn into their rotations, row crop planters become more viable in these areas. Maestro SW’s row unit and singulation technology provides superior seed placement precision for all of these crops.” 

The Canola Ready Technology is available to use on all Maestro SW row crop planter models. Maestro SW planters are available in 40- and 60-foot toolbar widths with row spacing of 15, 20, 22 or 30 inches.