Autumn cereal drilling is an essential task for arable farms, and achieving the right establishment gives the crop the best chance of reaching its yield potential. A large part of this is down to operating the right drill that is well matched to the tractor’s power to achieve consistent output and drilling depth.

Drilling is as important as harvest. Changing weather patterns have shortened available windows, and worsening grass weed problems have placed additional strain on arable growers, forcing them to leave drilling later to achieve stale or clean seedbeds. All of this puts greater strain on the drill operator to cover the ground quickly but maintain the quality of work.

Tractor power is an essential part of the setup, and running machines that can easily cope in all conditions will ensure seeds are placed in ideal conditions and accurate placement. More operators are now employing agricultural tractor remapping to adjust engine parameters to improve output. Factory tractor settings are conservatively set, and this is done by restricting modern tractor performance. Users often feel that new models don’t have the same power as older versions and there’s several key areas regarding drilling that can be impacted by underpowered tractors.

1. Drilling depth

Drilling depth and seed to soil contact are essential for effective crop establishment and both can be impacted if the tractor doesn’t have the required power. Insufficient power will mean operators may have to raise the drill out of the ground as the soil type changes, affecting seed depth. Conversely, they may have to slow forward speed to maintain drilling depth in unmoved soils, which will inevitably reduce output. Coulter pressure will also be affected when tractor power is short.

Maximising drilling efficiency is much harder when tractors are underpowered. Soil types can change from sand to heavy clay in the same field and the impact this has on tractor power requirement is huge. Wet, heavy clay can make a 4m drill feel like an 8m, while lighter sandy soils have the opposite effect. Using a tractor that has enough reserve power to manage output through different soil types means yield potential can be maintained and crops are sown into the right conditions.

Achieving uniform seed placement requires a tractor to deliver consistent power, especially when working with wider drills. Furthermore, many tractors are not running at their optimal power output, which can be solved through professional remapping. ATHD use an established network of authorised agents across the UK to provide on farm remapping for effective and safe performance improvements. This means operators and owners might not require a more powerful tractor to gain greater performance from a drill, existing tractors can be improved to deliver power where it’s required.

2. Weather windows

Changing weather patterns have a big effect on agriculture and farmers’ ability to get crops established in the best conditions. The ideal seedbed contains plenty of moisture with firm seed to soil contact leading to quick germination.

However, growers want to avoid the seedbed becoming too wet as soil compaction and drill blockages could become an issue. The upshot is that growers want to cover more acres in less time in the optimum conditions. With new machinery prices prohibitively expensive, maximising older machines is a route many are favouring.

Through over a decade of experience in agricultural remapping, changing ECU characteristics can deliver additional power within the engine’s safe limits, or alter where peak power is delivered to match the requirements of a certain implement. For example, if a tractor is currently running at 1,800rpm to achieve peak power, ATHD can use professional agricultural remapping to lower this to 1,600rpm for the same power output. This not only has benefits for operator comfort but can also result in fuel savings.

3. Wider machines

Economies of scale in agriculture allow arable farmers to maximise incomes, spread risk and increase resilience by farming larger areas. More acres mean bigger machinery or multiple drills to keep up with the demand. Sometimes, it’s not always possible for growers to justify a new drill or add a second machine, so improving the output of existing drills is a viable option.

Increasing a tractor’s output to pull the same 4m drill at 16kph rather than 12kph will enable a greater output per day, and ultimately, it’ll take less time to drill the same area.

Improving the power output of a current tractor can also allow a drill upgrade, without further expenditure or worry about pulling it. If growers are looking to change the drill for a wider model or go from a tine drill to a direct drill, the additional horsepower required could be provided through remapping to improve tractor power delivery.

Direct drills require greater horsepower as drilling into unmoved ground is more demanding on the tractor and the drill than planting seed into ground that has been cultivated. Greater coulter pressure is required to break through the harder surface and place seed at the right depth. Growers looking to change systems shouldn’t feel prevented from doing so by a lack of tractor power. Remapping can change the characteristics of an engine to deliver more power where it’s required.

4. Fuel efficiency

Some growers are now favouring catch or cover crops that are drilled immediately after harvest using quick growing, multi species plants to improve soil health, fix nutrients and keep soil covered. These could be to comply with Sustainable Farming Incentive options that some growers will be part of. The key for these intermediate crops is quick establishment, usually at a busy time of year, so getting across the ground is paramount to allow time for other jobs.

Furthermore, when it comes to drilling, direct drills will be required to drill into these crops, which provides greater resistance, with the operators potentially chopping the intermediate crop’s residue to help establishment. Fuel efficiency when carrying out this type of drilling is essential, and growers will want to spend as little on this type of work as possible. With professionally remapped tractors capable of delivering peak power lower down the RPM range, growers can carry out these tasks with greater accuracy and speed, while using less fuel.

By operating tractors at peak power lower down the RPM range, it can help reduce fuel consumption but also improve comfort for users. Cab noise will be lower when operating tractors at reduced RPM, making it more comfortable for users to spend long days in the cab.

5. Sowing date

This is always a bone of contention among growers and is something that is very farm and field specific. Earlier drilling doesn’t always offer growers the chance to control grass weeds as effectively. However, the upshot is that yield potential of the seed is maximised as crops can establish in better conditions and become stronger to cope with winter weather.

In recent years, later drilling has been a popular option. The payoff can be slightly poorer establishment in potentially wetter conditions, but the capacity to reduce grassweed competition is one growers’ are happy to take.

With both methods, the ability to cover the ground quickly and precisely when required is essential. Growers choosing to remap their tractors can operate in tighter working windows and achieve the same output as before, allowing weed seeds time to germinate. By doing this, seedbeds are cleaner, and emerging crops have less competition for nutrients.

Tractor output and the ability to cover the ground quickly whilst maintaining the quality of work is essential.