Tyne seed drills have a longstanding reputation amongst farmers for their versatility and durability, making them a reliable choice for various farming environments.
View Agrowdrill Models with Tynes: AD083 | AD140 | AD240 | AD730 | Vineyard Seeder
...or use our handy Seed Drill Match Maker Tool.
Because of their straightforward design, tynes offer farmers a cost-effective alternative with fewer moving parts compared to disc units. This makes them an attractive option for those seeking a lower initial investment in the machine and reduced maintenance expenses, all while maintaining seeding performance.
Tynes generally come in either a spring or coil rebound design, and can effectively handle a wide range of soil types and conditions, being equally adept at seeding pre-cultivated paddocks as well as direct-drilling into existing pasture, crops, or stubble (no-til).
The popular “baker boot” point produces an inverted 'T-slot' in the soil into which the seed is placed, allowing the sides of the slot to fall back as the tyne passes. The T-slot provides an ideal micro-climate for seed germination by allowing the ‘chamber’ to admit light and moisture but conserve heat, conditions that are ideal for consistent seed placement, uniform germination, and rapid root growth.
The tyne and boot combination clears away vegetation and trims existing roots, whilst the attached seed tube sets the seed firmly at the base of the T-slot. This positioning ensures the seed maintains contact with moisture drawn up through the soil.
Made from strong 25mm spring steel, coil tynes are designed for strength and durability, minimizing lateral movement to ensure a straight trajectory through the soil. Typically arranged in a wide, staggered pattern with either a left or right-hand coil, they facilitate the flow of debris and are equipped with replaceable points for wear and tear.
The Baker Boot and Coil Tyne combination provides accurate seed placement and seed-to-soil contact with minimal soil disturbance, for excellent seed germination and plant establishment in most soil types and climates.
Spring tynes available on larger seed drills feature a higher breakout rating and higher underframe clearance compared to coil tynes, which provide a robust option for sowing in harder country.
Leading coulters fitted before the main undercarriage are popular with farmers looking at improving the performance of their disc or tyne seed drill in high-trash conditions. The coulter discs clear a path ahead of the main soil opener, cutting through soil residues and trash.
Coulters help prevent trash buildup, which decreases seed accuracy and potentially leads to uneven seed germination. Coulters are generally set to cut slightly shallower than the seeding depth and help decrease soil scatter and disturbance.
Coulters can be fitted to a machine already with a double disc assembly (called a ‘triple-disc’) or in front of a tyned seed drill. The latter setup is popular with many Australian farmers as is combines many of the advantages of disc seeding with the advantages of operating a tyne seed drill.
If adaptability, low cost of entry and performance in wet conditions are high on your priority list, the Tyne undercarriage could be the right fit for your seeding operation. Adding coulters can enhance the drills' versatility and performance in high-trash conditions.
Seed drills with a tyned undercarriage are generally much cheaper to purchase than disc seeders.
Tyned drills are simpler to maintain in the field as there are no moving parts. Regular maintenance tasks, such as changing worn-out points, are straightforward and cost-effective.
Tynes offer greater flexibility and a wider drilling window, allowing farmers to plant crops even in unfavourable conditions. Tyne drills exhibit greater versatility across different soil types, ensuring effective seed placement in varying agricultural landscapes.
Tyne systems permit the use of pre-emergent herbicides like trifluralin, aiding in weed management.
Tynes excel at placing seeds accurately in wet conditions. The soil channels prevent clumping and compaction, whilst their minimal disturbance nature preserves the soil's water absorption capabilities and enhances drainage, allowing excess moisture to escape the seed zone. These conditions are vital for preventing water pooling around seeds, ensuring optimal germination and plant growth.
Tyne drills leave behind a reduced mulch layer, minimizing pest damage and the need for fungicides.
Tynes tend to band fertiliser better than disc units, offering an efficient nutrient placement for optimal crop growth.
Seed drills with tyne openers exert less pressure on the soil surface, as pulling the tynes forward creates a downward force holding the tines in the soil. Significantly less weight is required to gain and maintain penetration with a tyne opener compared to a disc, minimising soil compaction.
Narrow channels created by tine drills facilitate water drainage, reducing the risk of waterlogging and improving soil structure.
Tyne drills offer superior and precise seed placement, crucial for uniform crop emergence, especially in wet conditions. The narrow tines create well-defined seed furrows, ensuring that each seed is placed at the desired depth with minimal variation.
Most tine drills are on a fixed frame resulting in varying depths of seed across the width of the drill when going across uneven ground.
Tyne drills inevitably disturb more soil than disc drills, which may hinder weed germination but could enhance crop establishment in some scenarios.
Tyne openers are less effective at managing surface residues, potentially impacting moisture retention and weed control.
Tyne drills can be challenging when sowing in dense residues, which build up around the tynes and dragged with the machine, often resulting in dumps in large piles. This can result in inconsistent seeding. Tyned machines struggle in heavy stubble with narrow spacings.
To combat trash build-up, tyned machines often have wider row spacings. However, this is generally a disadvantage for farmers looking to improve moisture reserves in untilled soils.
Tyne systems create more soil throw, posing challenges for no-till objectives and soil conservation efforts.
In rocky conditions, where rocks are buried beneath the soil, tynes may pull these up and 'throw' them, posing potential risks of damage to machinery or injury to people.
Disc undercarriages have gained popularity in recent years for their precision planting capabilities.
View Agrowdrill Models with Discs: AD083 | AD140 | AD340 | AD730 | Vineyard Seeder
...or use our handy Seed Drill Match Maker Tool.
Discs excel in providing consistent seed depth control which is crucial for optimizing crop yields, and offer significant benefits such as reduced drawbar requirements, higher operating speeds, and improved efficiency.
Disc drills are known for minimal soil disturbance during the planting process, increasing moisture retention and preserving the soil structure and associated microorganisms that contribute to soil health.
Double disc undercarriages utilise a pair of angled rotating discs. The rotating disc creates a narrow “V” slot into which the seed is dropped. The slim profile of the discs allows for closer row spacings to maximise cropping efficiency and increase crop competition with weeds.
Discs leave a smoother soil profile than tynes and are often regarding as being more suited to dry conditions due to their ability to sow through stubble cover which helps reduce soil moisture loss in low rainfall seasons.
Single disc openers excel in heavier soils by creating a precise seed furrow, acting like a knife to achieve accurate seed placement. Their aggressive nature helps crush clods for better moisture retention and pushes aside stones, making them ideal for conditions with high residue and straw, which they effectively cut to avoid hairpinning and reduce disease risk. Double disc openers, with their two angled discs and centrally placed seed tube, are better suited for light soils and can plant at higher speeds in well-prepared ground. They are often considered more precise, especially for shallow seeding, although they are less effective at handling straw and residue without hairpinning issues
Triple-disc openers add a shallower leading coulter before the double-disc unit, providing the best of both worlds, and further enhance the ability of the seeder to cut through trash and stubble in minimal tillage operations.
Ground-following disc designs are praised for their ability to maintain consistent down pressure independent of the drill's weight. The parallelogram mechanism offers superior uniform seed placement across uneven terrain. These drills incorporate a press wheel that follows immediately after disc and seed tube which presses the seed into the soil, closes the furrow, and lightly compacts the soil to create an even seed bed. Such precise placement contributes to enhanced crop yields by ensuring seeds are delivered evenly, regardless of the field's contours.
If you're seeking precision in high-trash, dry, or rocky conditions, alongside improved seeding efficiency, an Agrowdrill with a disc undercarriage may be your ideal choice.
Disc drills offer independent movement on each assembly, allowing for precise and consistent seed depth control.
Disc drills excel in creating superb seedbeds with minimal soil disturbance, ideal for drilling into tall, dense cover crops.
The narrower row spacings allowed with disc drills help crops fight off weeds, reducing herbicide reliance.
Disc drills can help with moisture retention in dry soils. Soils drilled with discs also tend to be more resistant to wind and water erosion. In very low rainfall conditions, drilling through stubble cover can significantly increase crop yield.
Discs may improve sowing performance in rocky conditions. Discs tend to roll or ‘bounce’ over stones and rocks instead of pulling them to the surface like tynes tend to.
Disc systems enable faster sowing speeds, as there is no need to fracture the soil, which created more drag and slows the tractor. Sowing more in less time enhances operational efficiency and productivity, particularly when needing to sow large areas.
The narrower row spacings also enable a denser seeding profile for greater yield per hectare.
Disc systems cause less tractor drag and use less fuel than when towing tyned machines, offering input cost savings for growers in terms of fuel outlay and labour time.
Whilst zero-till seeding is very achievable with a tyne seed drill, disc seeders can better plant through stubble retained for many years with minimal soil disturbance, contributing to soil stability and retention of organic matter.
Disc seeders can plant supplementary pasture seed species within existing pastures without causing harm to existing crops.
Disc drills may leave seeds vulnerable in open slots, especially in wet conditions, increasing the risk of chemical damage and pest infestation. Presswheels or soil rollers that close the furrow over the seed and press it into the soil can mitigate this issue.
Discs may not cut the stubble but only push the stubble into the furrow, inhibiting seed-to-soil contact and increasing the risks of the seed springing back with the straw.
Disc drills entail higher upkeep costs due to their complex design and moving parts. They require constant upkeep to maintain consistency and accuracy.
Disc drills may struggle on rocky land with high stone content, as they bounce over the stones which leads to increased wear on the discs and undercarriage assembly and reduced effectiveness.
Disc seeders exhibit limited adaptability in wet conditions, primarily due to the risk of open slots and excessive moisture retention causing crop damage during heavy rainfall before seedlings are established fully. The absence of tynes for levelling wheel tracks, combined with the rotation of discs, can exacerbate soil compaction along the seeded rows in wet conditions. This compacted surface impedes water infiltration and root development, adversely affecting crop growth.
Disc drills require significant weight to ensure there is enough downforce to achieve effective soil penetration, which can contribute to soil compaction.
Disc systems cannot use certain pre-emergent herbicides that penetrate stubble layers, potentially affecting weed control efficacy.
Disc drills used in a no-til system may create a favourable environment for certain pests, such as slaters and millipedes, in the heavy mulch layer, increasing the risk of crop damage.
Retained residues in disc farming systems may contribute to disease proliferation, necessitating careful variety selection and an effective fungicide program.
To further inform the decision making process, we’ve put disc seeder vs tyne seeder head-to-head in a detailed comparison to help you choose which soil opener is best suited for your priorities and farming objectives.
Still not sure? Try our Seed Drill Match Maker tool.
✓ - Advantageous in minimising moisture loss due to reduced soil disturbance.
✓ - Minimal soil disturbance significantly reduces the risk of wind erosion.
✓ - Supports crop establishment on less rainfall and enhances harvest potential in dry years. The slower water consumption and moisture conservation are suited to a potentially dry Spring.
x - Can struggle with penetration in ultra-hard, compacted soils, requiring high downforce, which may not be effective in all conditions.
Note: Agrowdrill disc seeders don't suffer from this issue due to their heavy frame weight, which aids the furrow creation process.
x - Reduced disturbance can lead to lower initial seedling vigour in Winter and may experience fertiliser toxicity issues.
✓ - Better for ultra-dry compacted soils as they penetrate more deeply, loosening the soil for improved root growth.
x - In wet conditions, disc seeders can struggle with stubble residue, affecting seed placement accuracy.
x - Wet soil can also hinder furrow closure, increasing the risk of crop damage.
x -Excess moisture in disc-sown fields can raise disease risks, requiring careful management in wet years.
✓ - Tynes excel at placing seeds accurately in wet conditions.
✓ - Preserves the soil's water absorption capabilities and enhances drainage, allowing excess moisture to escape the seed zone.
✓ - Tynes with baker boots are a very versatile soil opener that can be used in most soil conditions, particularly when paired with leading coulter bars which bring many of the benefits of a disc drill to a tyne machine.
✓ - Minimal soil disturbance with disc seeding retains moisture, enabling crops to be established with less rainfall. It also allows seeding in narrow rows, increasing competition with weeds.
✓ - Disc seeders the preferred option for farmers seeking denser planting profiles due to narrower row spacings.
✓ - Disc seeding is effective for mixed farming systems, enabling the oversowing of additional pasture species into established pastures without disturbing or damaging the existing plant cover. This makes it an ideal choice for maintaining soil health and maximising pasture utilisation.
x - In dry sowing, disc seeders may lead to reduced initial germination due to less soil-to-seed contact and potential fertiliser toxicity.
✓ - Higher soil-to-seed contact and deeper seed placement with tynes generally results in better initial germination and crop establishment, especially in compacted or dry soils.
✓ - Tyned machines allow earlier sowing after rainfall.
x - Higher soil disturbance can lead to moisture loss in dry conditions, potentially limiting germination if rainfall is low.
✓ - Discs work well with stubble retention systems, allowing seeding directly into retained stubble without needing to smash or burn it.
✓ - Retaining stubble when using disc seeders has been shown to increase grain yields in low-rainfall years by reducing soil evaporation and maintaining cooler soil temperatures.
✓ - Disc seeders eliminate the need to smash or burn stubble, requiring only weed control during summer, which simplifies pre-sowing preparation and supports long-term soil health.
x - Residues in disc-sown systems may create a humid environment, increasing disease risks.
✓ - Tynes are better at handling compacted soils and levelling uneven surfaces, making them effective in correcting compaction issues from livestock or heavy equipment.
x - Tyned seeders may struggle to establish crops in heavy stubble at narrow row spacings.
✓ - The narrower row spacings possible with disc seeders help improve crop competition with weeds.
x - Reduced soil disturbance in disc systems may limit the effectiveness of pre-emergent herbicides, leading to potential crop damage or less effective weed control.
x - Due to crop safety concerns most pre-emergence herbicides, such as trifluralin, are not currently registered for use with disc seeders.
✓ - Tynes enable the use of soil-incorporated herbicides, which improves weed management.
x - Disc-seeded fields with retained stubble can create favourable humid conditions for root-borne diseases in wet conditions, requiring periodic fungicide use or tillage.
x - Soil-incorporated herbicides, such as trifluralin, aren’t compatible with disc seeders.
✓ - Tynes disrupt soil and crop residues more, reducing the potential for disease proliferation under certain conditions.
✓ - Tyned systems facilitate better herbicide incorporation through soil disturbance, enhancing weed and disease control.
✓ - Periodic tillage with tyne seeders can help manage disease outbreaks and improve soil health over time.
✓- Less soil disturbance preserves moisture, especially valuable in dry conditions, as it reduces evaporation from the soil.
x - Tynes disturb the soil more, which can lead to increased moisture loss in dry climates.
x - Disc seeders can leave depressions or ridges caused by livestock tracks unlevelled.
x - The minimal soil disturbance of disc seeders can lead to hard panning over time, where the soil becomes dense and impenetrable by water. This compaction may require costly remediation every 5 to 10 years.
x - Disc systems do not level wheel tracks after wet harvests, potentially resulting in trenches that hinder field operations and water management.
✓- Tyned rigs are more effective in managing hard, compacted soils, breaking them up to improve aeration and water infiltration.
✓- Tynes smooth out depressions, such as those caused by livestock or machinery, helping maintain a more uniform soil surface and reducing compaction-related issues.
Disc Pro:
✓- Discs can operate faster and cover more hectares per hour, making them more efficient when sowing large fields and when facing narrow sowing windows.
✓- The faster sowing rate typically results in a time saving, and hence lower labour costs.
✓- Disc seeders save time and labour by eliminating the need for stubble smashing or burning, offering operational efficiencies.
Tyne Con:
x - Tynes typically operate slower, as the fracturing of the soil places a higher drag on the tractor.
✓- The faster sowing rate typically results in a time saving, and hence lower labour costs.
x - Disc seeders have high maintenance needs with frequent replacement of discs and bearings, especially in abrasive conditions.
x - Bearings often need replacement every three years, and discs typically require annual replacement on farms with larger sowing areas, especially in drier or more abrasive conditions.
✓- Tyned seeders are simpler and cheaper to maintain, with fewer moving parts and straightforward maintenance tasks like replacing worn-out points.
✓- Tyne machines generally have a much cheaper purchase and upfront cost compared to the higher capital outlay for disc machines making them a cost-effective option for farmers with smaller budgets.
✓- Lower fuel consumption with a disc seeder reduces operating costs.
x - Higher fuel requirements and operating costs compared to discs due to increased resistance from greater soil disruption.
Agrowplow's range of coil tyne, spring tyne, double disc, and ground-following undercarriages are engineered to bring precision, strength, and versatility to handle a diverse range of seeding conditions.
Single disc openers are ideal for heavy soils and high residue conditions, ensuring precise seed placement and minimal disease risk. Double disc openers excel in light soils and allow for faster planting, making them suitable for well-prepared ground. Learn more about their unique benefits and applications in this article.
When it comes to choosing between a tyne or disc opener for your seed drill, each option comes with its own set of advantages and considerations. In this article we compare the pros and cons and discover which options are best suited to certain conditions.
