Horsch Pronto 9 DC: A New Generation Universal Seed Drill for High-Speed Seeding

Why the Pronto 9 DC Is in the Spotlight

For many years, the Horsch Pronto DC series has been considered one of the benchmarks for high-speed seeding in Europe: precise seed placement, stable seeding depth and reliability in difficult conditions have made it popular among medium and large farms. In 2025 the manufacturer presented the significantly updated Horsch Pronto 9 DC – a 9-metre seed drill of a new generation, designed with modern requirements for productivity, configuration flexibility and electronics integration in mind.

The core idea behind the modern Pronto 9 DC is to combine a high working speed (up to 20 km/h) with a 9 m working width, while maintaining a moderate tractor power requirement and transport dimensions of about 3.0 m in width and around 4.0 m in height.

Machine Concept: A Universal Drill for Different Tillage Systems

Working Process and the Pronto Principle

The Pronto 9 DC is a disc seed drill designed to work both on conventionally prepared soil and on mulched or minimum-tilled fields. The Pronto principle consists of three key stages:

Seedbed Preparation
At the front operates the DiscSystem with two rows of discs, each 46 cm in diameter. They provide intensive loosening and mixing of the topsoil, forming a fine cloddy seedbed and levelling the surface.

Consolidation
Behind the discs runs a tyre packer with specially profiled tyres. The tyres, arranged in a single row, provide uniform consolidation in front of every coulter and create identical conditions across the whole working width.

Seeding
Final furrow formation and seed placement is carried out by double-disc coulters TurboDisc or ParaDisc, equipped with a press wheel and the Uniformer system to fix the seed in the furrow. This allows the drill to maintain the set depth even at speeds of up to 20 km/h.

Chassis and Transport Dimensions

The new generation Pronto 9 DC is built on a modernised chassis which ensures:

• transport width of 2.99 m – within standard public road limits;
• transport height of 3.99 m and an overall length of about 9.21 m;
• optimal load distribution between tractor and drill due to the use of an intermediate and rear packer.

This is especially important for farms where the machine is frequently transferred between fields over considerable distances.

Seed and Fertiliser Systems: TurboDisc, ParaDisc and the Twin Hopper

Third-Generation TurboDisc Coulters

As standard, the Pronto 9 DC is equipped with double-disc TurboDisc 3rd generation coulters which:

• provide downforce of up to 125 kg per coulter;
• work with a press wheel 5 or 7.5 cm wide;
• ensure accurate ground following and stable seeding depth;
• allow high working speeds without compromising seeding quality.

A typical configuration of the Pronto 9 DC includes 60 seed coulters with 15 cm row spacing, providing uniform plant distribution across the area and optimal loading on the machine.

ParaDisc Coulters for Heavy Conditions

For heavy, compacted or stony soils, ParaDisc parallelogram double-disc coulters are available. They:

provide downforce of up to 150 kg per row;

use proven Horsch components – Uniformer, scrapers and reliable bearing hubs;

are designed for conditions where more aggressive furrow opening and stable depth control are needed.

Hopper and Application Concepts: G&F and PPF

The Pronto 9 DC is equipped with a twin pressurised hopper with a total capacity of 6,000 litres, divided 40:60.

Two main application concepts are supported:

Grain & Fertiliser (G&F)
Both hopper compartments feed their products through separate metering units into one distribution head: seed and fertiliser are transported together and placed in the same furrow. This provides strong starter fertilisation and accelerates early plant development.

PPF (Placement of Phosphorus and Fertiliser)
Fertiliser is applied through separate PPF fertiliser coulters, forming a “depot” a few centimetres below the seed horizon in the moister soil layer. The seed is then placed at a different depth by TurboDisc or ParaDisc coulters. This lowers the risk of seedling scorch and allows higher fertiliser rates to be used under dry conditions.

According to the technical data, the Pronto 9 DC can be equipped with 30 PPF fertiliser coulters with a downforce of up to 200 kg, ensuring stable fertiliser placement depth.

Intelligent Systems: eosT10, AutoLine and HorschConnect

eosT10 / eosT10 Pro Terminals and AutoLine

For machine control Horsch offers eosT10 / eosT10 Pro terminals with a 10-inch display, which:

support the ISOBUS standard (ISO 11783);

can display several “widgets” simultaneously (application rates, prescription maps, flow control);

allow convenient wireless transfer of task maps and software updates.

The AutoLine function provides automatic tramline management based on GPS, switching off seeding in tramlines and headlands and thus reducing overlaps and input waste.

HorschConnect and the HORSCH Control App

The HorschConnect Telematics system collects machine telemetry and allows the farm to:

• document seed and fertiliser rates;
• monitor work quality (uniformity, performance, area coverage);
• access error messages and service information remotely.
• Via the HORSCH Control mobile app, the operator can:
• calibrate the metering units from a smartphone;
• control selected machine functions remotely;
• receive real-time notifications about the system status.

Seed and Fertiliser Flow Monitoring

The optional fertiliser and seed flow control system monitors the flow in pneumatic lines immediately behind the distribution heads. When a line is blocked, the operator receives an audible and visual alarm on the terminal. This significantly reduces the risk of skips in the field and associated yield losses.

Technical Specifications of Horsch Pronto 9 DC

According to the official Horsch brochure, the key parameters of the Pronto 9 DC are:

Practical Advantages for Farms

Field Performance

With a 9 m working width and real operating speeds of 12–16 km/h, the Pronto 9 DC can reach a shift productivity of 50–70 ha per day, provided seed and fertiliser logistics are well organised. The large 6,000 l hopper reduces the number of filling stops, and the convenient access platform speeds up service and inspection operations.

Energy Efficiency and Tractor Requirements

According to official data, the Pronto 9 DC requires 175–240 kW (240–330 hp), depending on working conditions.

The large diameter of the packer, the absence of scrapers and the carefully designed combination of front and intermediate rollers reduce draft requirement and fuel consumption, which is particularly noticeable on light and medium soils.

Flexibility for Different Crops and Systems

The Pronto 9 DC is suitable for seeding:

traditional cereal crops;

pulses;

cover crop and catch crop mixtures;

crops with different seed sizes, including difficult flowing material, thanks to the optimised pneumatic system and appropriate options.

The combination of DiscSystem, TurboDisc/ParaDisc coulters, PPF and G&F concepts allows the farm to adapt the drill to its own agronomic strategy – from conventional plough-based tillage to reduced till or strip-till.

Relevance for Ukrainian Producers

For medium and large farms where the optimal seeding window is often very short, the Horsch Pronto 9 DC is attractive as a machine that combines:

• high productivity (9 m × up to 20 km/h);
• adaptability to different soil tillage systems;
• advanced electronics and telematics for process control;
• flexible fertiliser application strategies (G&F and PPF).

It is a logical choice for farms that already have experience with previous Pronto DC models and want to move to a higher level of precision, automation and speed in their seeding operations.

Where to Buy Spare Parts for Horsch Seed Drills in Ukraine

Whether your farm operates the new Horsch Pronto 9 DC or previous Pronto DC models, fast access to high-quality spare parts remains critical for a reliable seeding campaign.

BAS-Agro LLC offers a wide range of spare parts for Horsch seed drills, including:

• replacement discs, coulters and packer elements;
• metering wheels and components of the dosing systems;
• other working units and consumables for servicing and repairing Horsch drills.

You can find the full list of parts for Horsch seed drills on the company’s website in the dedicated section: https://bas.ua/shop/compatible-with-horsch-000000049-1

In this way, the farmer gets a complete solution: modern seeding technology from Horsch and the ability to supply it quickly with spare parts through a Ukrainian supplier focused on the needs of agricultural enterprises.