As the company celebrates 25 years of seeding technology, it has announced a host of updates across its full portfolio.
Pöttinger has just passed its 155th anniversary. While it didn’t enter the seeder market until 2001, when it acquired the Rabe factory in Bernberg, it already had three decades of experience in the arable market, having previously purchased the Bavarian Plough factory in Landsberg in 1975. Before that, it was almost exclusively a manufacturer of grassland equipment.
Gregor Dietachmayr, speaker of the executive board, explains that sales for the company are now split, with
grassland machinery still accounting for about 70% and arable equipment making up the balance.
“Arable is a key focus for us,” he says. “It is hard to grow our market share in grassland, but there is room for growth with our cultivation and seeding equipment, as well as in emerging markets such as South America and Asia.”
The company has recently filled a notable gap in its portfolio with the acquisition of the Italian brand Matermacc, a specialist in precision planters. While the Matermacc branding was originally retained, the company is now developing units in the Pöttinger livery, starting with the Puro H.
Visitors to Agritechnica got the first glimpse of the machine, but we were able to go into more detail in the field. A pre-series launch of 10 machines has been working across Europe, with full mechanical drive based on the ground speed, put through a gearbox comprising four large gears and four small ones.
This provides 16 possible singulation speeds, with additional adjustment possible through a choice of two singulation plates. The singulation unit is the only part brought wholesale across from the Matermacc range, according to Martin Zierer, product specialist.
“We received feedback from existing Matermacc customers that the product line was in need of a refresh,” he explains.
While the machine has mechanical drive, it does have Isobus compatibility, capable of monitoring singulation from the cabin. The six-row units have a capacity of 68 litres each, feeding into a double-disc coulter unit. The coulters can be pressurised up to 180kg. Ahead of the coulters, it is possible to bolt on additional tools, including row units.
Fertiliser is metered from a 1,300-litre central hopper, feeding down to individually suspended double-disc coulters. The fertiliser application is an option, and in the future Pöttinger will add microgranule applicators, with three options of distribution – mixed with the seed, ahead of the coulters or behind row consolidation rollers.
Additional options will include a hydraulic fan, instead of the pto-driven one used now. This will enable the fan speed to be set independent from the tractor engine speed.
The model going into full production for the 2027 season is the Puro H 3000, with a telescopic frame, enabling the six-row units to be spaced at either 70cm or 75cm. This provides a working width from 4.2m to 4.5m, while the transport width is 3m.
Going electric
As the mechanical unit goes into full production, the company will also introduce a larger pre-series version of an
electrically driven precision planter.
This will include electric dosing units for both seed and fertiliser and electric drive of the row units, enabling individual row shut-off for section control and variable rate for up to three products.
As for the future of the Matermacc brand, according to Martin, the company will gradually phase out the brand. “We will continue to offer the Matermacc-branded units until Pöttinger replacements are brought to market.”
Aerosem M gets new planting options
Recent updates to the Aerosem M cultivator-mounted drill include a choice of hoppers. Customers can choose between a single product hopper, with or without Precision Combi Seeding (PCS), or a pressurised double hopper for metering of seed and fertiliser.
Each of these can be uprated with the Intelligent Distribution System, enabling each outlet to be controlled via the Isobus system. This provides greater options for tramlining and section control in awkward-shaped fields.
The standard hopper has a capacity of 1,250 litres, with the option to increase this by 600 litres. For those wanting more versatility from their machine, the PCS system enables the coulter bar to be switched over to a precision planting unit thanks to new metering unit components.
When this is fitted, the hopper becomes a dual-product unit, holding 450 litres of maize seed and 800 litres of fertiliser, increasing to 650 litres and 1,200 litres when the extensions are added.
With the dual hopper, it is portioned 60:40, with separate metering units for each side. Product is mixed and sent down the same coulter. This option increases the capacity to 2,000 litres.
Additional changes have been made to the dual-disc coulter to handle the precision-planting mode. This ensures
that the maize seed is placed firmly into the V-shaped seeding slot and pressed down by the consolidation roller. Optional tine harrows have also been made available.
Rear harrow and new tine options for Plano
While we didn’t get to see the Plano working, we did view some of the updates introduced two years after the
6m stubble cultivator’s launch.
The rear roller can now be swapped out for a three-row set of tine harrows, designed to drag weeds, volunteers and other organic material across the surface of the field to dry out and decompose. It is fully hydraulically adjustable, with additional adjustment of the individual rows via turnbuckles.
This means operators can set the forward row more aggressively when following units. It can also be lifted fully out of work if conditions are difficult, or if there is a large amount of soil or organic matter going through the harrows. When the roller is removed, the depth of the tines is controlled via the chassis’ hydraulic system.
For light and medium soils, Pöttinger will offer an alternative to its pre- tensioned cultivator tines. The spiral spring tine reportedly has an oscillating and vibrating effect that crumbles the topsoil and helps with the mixing of organic matter. Track eradicators are now available on the options list, and the Durastar Plus duckfoot shares have been widened to 220mm.