New drill from Sunflower combines seeding precision with time-saving features to efficiently cover more acres each day

AGCO, Your Agriculture Company, (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, is pleased to introduce the all-new Sunflower® 9610 Conventional Drill. Designed specifically for precise seed placement of grasses, legumes and small grains in conventional tillage systems, the Sunflower 9610 drill offers one of the industry's largest capacity seed hoppers, easily adjustable down pressure and a maintenance-free meter-drive system so producers can accurately and efficiently seed more acres in a day.

"This new conventional drill offers the high level of seed placement accuracy Sunflower has worked tirelessly to develop and perfect," explains Tom Draper, Sunflower seeding and tillage product manager. "The 9610 drill is built to the same stringent Sunflower standards our customers have come to know, offering quality and dependability for superior performance. In designing the Sunflower 9610, we made sure to incorporate many elements that will allow producers to cover more acres each day, without sacrificing accuracy."

The Sunflower 9610 conventional drill is available in 15- and 20-foot working widths, and offers row-spacing options of 6 inches, 7 1/2 inches and 10 inches. The 9610 drill is available as a pull-type version when matched with the transport-pull hitch (TPH) or as a 3-point mounted version. With three-bushel seed-hopper capacity, it features one of the largest hoppers in the industry so producers can plant more acres before refilling. At a seeding rate of one bushel per acre, the 9610-20 model is capable of covering 60 acres with one fill.

Proven technologies deliver precise seed placement
The Sunflower 9610 features single-arm-mount conventional openers, placed at an 8-inch stagger to help residue flow through the seeding system. Precision seed placement is made possible with a proven seed-delivery tube that drops the seed precisely into the bottom of the seed trench between the opener blades just before Sunflower's patented soil control devices (SCD) begin to close the soil over the trench. The SCD helps ensure proper closure of the seed trench after the seed has been dropped, preventing soil blowout that can occur at higher planting speeds.

Infinitely variable meters provide a continuous flow of seed for consistent seed spacing, unlike fluted meters that drop seed in groups. Seeding depth is easily adjusted in ?-inch increments from minus 1 inch to plus 3 inches. In addition, consistent seeding depth and optimum soil-to-seed contact are benefits of the pneumatic down pressure system which places even down pressure on all row units and eliminates the down-pressure spikes that occur with spring-activated down-pressure systems.

Double rib, all-purpose press wheels pivot 20 degrees left or right from center so they easily follow contours and are always centered above the seed trench to complete the seeding process by firmly compressing the soil beside the seed while gently firming the top of the trench. Other press wheel choices include smooth or v-crown for conventional minimum-till uses, center rib for no-till or minimum-till needs, and double-rib higher flotation for use in loose-soil conditions. The press wheel unit has the only grease zerk on the opener row unit, for minimum maintenance.

Variable down-pressure zones match soil conditions

Two down-pressure zones on the drill can be catered to different soil conditions. One zone is easily adjusted to ensure proper seed placement in the compacted areas behind tractor tires, while the other can be adjusted to handle the pressure needs of un-compacted soils. This unique design prevents the drill from overloading row units that do not need additional down pressure, ultimately improving seeding accuracy.

The drill sits on a rigid frame of 3/8-inch by 7-inch-square tubular steel, which is joined after every fifth opener to the 3-1/2 inch-square by 3/8-inch-thick opener-mount frame. This heavy-duty design provides greater frame stability to withstand the rotational forces created by the openers. The seed-meter drive features maintenance-free steel sprockets, while all of the drive-system shafts have been plated to prevent corrosion and enhance the life of the drill.

The walk board on the Sunflower 9610 provides easy access to the entire drill but is easy to fold and automatically locks up and out of the way when not in use. The board is deep for added operator safety, with a ladder that simply folds over the walk board rather than under it. Row markers are a handy option available on all models.

Sunflower, known as the "originator of flexible tillage tools," is the seeding and tillage division of AGCO. Sunflower is known around the world as a producer and marketer of top-quality products with exceptional customer support. Quality and service are what today's professional producers expect from their equipment and what Sunflower continues to provide.

For more information on the Sunflower 9610 conventional drill, see your local Sunflower equipment dealer or visit www.sunflowermfg.com.

08.18.2011