European agriculture is dominated by small farms where heavy machinery isn’t suitable. Regenerative and sustainable agriculture offer solutions but require adapted, low-power technologies for practices like cover cropping and no-till. Combining these sustainable practices with appropriate technology is key for the profitability and resilience of small European farms facing current challenges.
Researchers from the Universitat de Lleida (UdL) (Spain) have developed an optimized technology for direct seeding under challenging field conditions, that can be implemented in different seed drill sizes, making it adaptable to the user’s needs.
SUSEEDER is a compact and sustainable direct seed drill, designed to facilitate direct seeding under challenging field conditions. It can be used in limited-access areas. Its design allows operation with low-power tractors or even with an ATV.
ISEMBRA is a direct seed drill for extensive agriculture with a 3-meter working width, expandable up to 6 meters or more, which ensures the same benefits in terms of sowing quality, sustainability, and economic efficiency.
Key features and benefits:
- Environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable crop management practices, aligned with regenerative agriculture.
- It includes an impact protection mechanism that prevents damage when encountering rocks or obstacles in the field.
- Adaptability to uneven terrain and plots of varying sizes.
- Adjustable seeding depth and downforce, enabling consistent seed placement with minimal soil disturbance.
- Capable of sowing two different seed types in alternating rows.
- SUSEEDER is suitable for use with an ATV or an UTV.
- Fuel consumption is estimated to be 50% lower than that of equivalent disc coulter seed drills, and the purchase cost is approximately two-thirds that of conventional disc-based systems.
The represented institution is looking for a collaboration that leads to commercial exploitation of the presented invention.
Institution: Universitat de Lleida (UdL)
TRL: Technology has been validated in real conditions through field trials conducted on various irregular terrains.
Financing: INNOImpuls 2024
Contacto: Ana Carlota de la Cruz Abad / a.cruz@viromii.com