Apollo is a modern ECU system that brings unmatched versatility, efficiency, and productivity to seeding operations.(Image credit: Topcon)

Topcon’s new Apollo application controllers are redefining the future of precision seeding, offering a powerful, integrated machine control solution for small grain air seeders

Designed with both performance and usability in mind, Apollo is a modern ECU system that brings unmatched versatility, efficiency, and productivity to seeding operations.

The Apollo ECU is weatherproof, stackable, and ISO compatible, and supports virtually every air seeder brand currently in use. Whether you’re managing a simple single-product application or complex, multi-product seeding with fertiliser and chemicals, Apollo delivers high-end performance with ease. When paired with Topcon’s GNSS autosteering, the system becomes a fully integrated solution for precision agriculture.

At the heart of the system is the Topcon X30 console, which, together with Horizon software, gives operators a sleek, user-friendly interface. This advanced touchscreen display combines rate control, GNSS guidance, path planning, and agronomic data collection in one intuitive platform. It’s a level of integration that sets a new benchmark in the seeder market.

Apollo allows control of up to eight product channels simultaneously – dry, liquid, or NH₃ – with full Variable Rate Control and independent Section Control for each boom. Optional blockage monitoring covers 100+ lines, helping operators avoid downtime and product waste.

With an ISO UT interface, Apollo integrates seamlessly with any ISOBUS-compliant console, displaying data from up to four tanks or bins and enabling advanced functions like variable rate seeding via its Task Controller.

Built for tough field conditions, Apollo’s solid-state, modular design ensures high reliability. The system is rated IP69K, resistant to high-pressure and high-temperature washdowns, and features LED indicators for fast, on-the-go diagnostics.

Additional components like the KP-12 CAN-based keypad allow for both in-cab and on-machine operation, making calibration and task execution smooth and efficient. Operators can choose from multiple calibration methods, including manual entry, automatic wizard, area test, or weight-based calculations – all tailored to ensure accuracy and ease of use.

With the Apollo system, Topcon is leading the charge toward smarter, more connected seeding technology – helping farmers increase yields, reduce input costs, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

This partnership leverages smart technology to increase agricultural productivity.

Hello Tractor, a leading agri-tech firm, has partnered with Heifer International to roll out an innovative Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) tractor financing model aimed at improving mechanised farming across Uganda

This partnership leverages smart technology to increase agricultural productivity, improve food supply, and generate employment along the farming value chain.

The latest phase of the partnership was officially launched on 12th September 2025 at Mascor Uganda, a well-known tractor dealership in Kampala. During the event, ten tractors were handed over to young entrepreneurs under the ‘Hello Tractor Booking Agents’ initiative.

Ronald Wabwire, Heifer International-Uganda’s Signature Programme Technical Lead, highlighted the collaboration’s purpose. “Our partnership with Hello Tractor furthers Heifer International’s mission of ending global poverty and hunger while caring for the earth through increased food production and on-farm productivity,” he said.

Wabwire noted that since the pilot of the Tractors for Africa project in June 2022, Heifer has facilitated access to 26 PAYG tractors, which Hello Tractor has matched, bringing the total active fleet on the platform in Uganda to 172. So far, the initiative has created 396 tractor operator jobs and supported 576 booking agents, enabling over 70,000 smallholder farmers to access mechanised services across 183,000 acres.

Hello Tractor provides tracking devices and software that allow farmers to book tractors via a mobile app. This system helps match the growing demand for mechanised services, especially in remote areas.

“The African continent has the least number of tractors per 1,000 hectares – fewer than two, compared to 10 in Asia,” Wabwire added, citing the limitations of hand tools and animal traction still used by over 95% of African farmers.

Farmers like Ogwang Moses Odongo and Joshua Waigolo shared how the PAYG model has helped them not only access tractors but also improve livelihoods and boost productivity in their communities.

Hello Tractor’s Credit Director, James Macharia, reported a 95% repayment rate under this model, thanks to flexible terms and strong after-sales support. Head of Operations Frank Muhumuza added, “We’re creating jobs and removing barriers to finance with tech-driven solutions that show real-time demand.”

At the heart of the sowing unit is the maintenance-free OptiDisc coulter bar with parallelogram-guided OptiDisc M double disc coulters. (Image credit: LEMKEN)

LEMKEN has introduced the new Solitair MF, a pneumatic seed drill designed to meet the highest standards of precision, flexibility, and user-friendliness

This folding model is a counterpart to the Solitair MR, but it brings unique advantages, particularly with its active seedbed preparation and rear-mounted seed hopper. Available in working widths of 4, 4.5, and 6 metres, the Solitair MF stands out as a powerful tool, perfect for taking full advantage of short sowing windows.

The Solitair MF ensures high metering precision as standard, with the basic model featuring two electrically operated metering units, each feeding a seed distributor. This design allows for width section or half-side control. For the 6-metre version, the seed drill can be further expanded to include up to four width sections. The metering units are corrosion-resistant and designed to handle fertilisers, making them durable and easy to maintain. Their design also ensures quick accessibility for maintenance, with metering wheels that can be changed without tools, even when the hopper is full, thanks to an integrated shut-off gate. The seed rate is adjustable from the tractor cab, with settings ranging from 0.5 to 500 kg per hectare.

The seed hopper of the Solitair MF has a capacity of 2,000 litres. For greater flexibility, an optional double tank with a 60:40 split is available, allowing for the application of different components. The seed drill can also be combined with the Solitair F front tank, which has a capacity of 1,900 or 2,400 litres, to enhance efficiency by holding additional components. Filling the hopper is made easier with a roller tarp cover, and the two-part filter can be fully removed for cleaning. The tank can be drained via a 90 mm flap, or for smaller residual quantities, through the metering unit itself.

A key feature of the Solitair MF is its OptiDisc coulter system, which provides precise seed placement, even in difficult conditions. The coulters are mounted on a maintenance-free, parallelogram-guided coulter bar, and they can be adjusted to apply a pressure of up to 45 kg. This ensures accurate seed placement regardless of the conditions. The sowing depth can be adjusted centrally from the left-hand side of the machine, independent of the coulter pressure. Operators can choose between row spacings of 12.5 cm or 15 cm, and the coulter bar can be further enhanced with optional harrow variants, which can be adjusted without the need for tools to suit varying operational conditions.

The Solitair MF is also designed to work seamlessly with ISOBUS systems and is equipped with the intuitive iQblue operating concept from LEMKEN. This makes it compatible with most popular ISOBUS terminals, allowing for easy management of all functions through a CCI terminal or any other universal terminal. For more precise and efficient sowing, the seed drill offers an optional automatic width section control system and GPS-supported job management for area-specific sowing. Furthermore, the iQblue Go app allows users to perform key tasks such as calibration, residual quantity drainage, and fill level monitoring directly from their mobile devices, adding a layer of convenience both in the field and during office work.

For optimal results, LEMKEN recommends pairing the Solitair MF with the Zirkon 12K power harrow, as this combination ensures excellent seedbed preparation. By mounting the seed drill on the power harrow headstock, weight distribution is optimised, and the centre of gravity is positioned closer to the tractor’s rear axle. When it comes to transport, the Solitair MF/600 is fitted with an automatic transport support wheel, which adjusts itself when the coulter bar is folded in or out, ensuring enhanced stability during road transport.

The LEMKEN Solitair MF is a cutting-edge seed drill that combines precision, flexibility, and efficiency, making it an essential tool for modern, high-performance farming operations.

Bühler has launched the SORTEX R500. (Image credit: Bühler)

In response to rising operational costs and increasing pressure on profitability, Bühler has launched the SORTEX R500 – an advanced optical sorter built specifically for the rice industry

Designed to run with minimal manual input, the SORTEX R500 aims to simplify operations for rice processors while improving output quality, reducing waste, and boosting overall efficiency.

Today’s rice processors are navigating a tough environment, with fluctuating raw material costs, labour shortages, and the need for tighter operational control. Bühler’s latest solution addresses these challenges by introducing a near-autonomous system that streamlines sorting and allows teams to focus on higher-level tasks. Developed from the ground up with rice in mind, the R500 offers a tailored approach to the real-world issues faced in rice production.

"We designed the SORTEX R500 to be a true rice specialist, built to handle the unique complexities of the industry," says Neil Dyer, Product Manager of the new SORTEX R500 at Bühler. "It's a machine that practically runs itself, which means processors can get more high-quality output with greater efficiency, minimal manual input, and reduced waste. It's about turning operational precision into profit."

Equipped with high-definition cameras and intelligent algorithms, the SORTEX R500 can detect and remove even the tiniest defects, from discoloured grains to foreign materials and chalky rice. This ensures a consistently high-quality product that meets strict industry and consumer standards.

With over 75 years of expertise in rice sorting, Bühler’s reputation has made “sortexed rice” synonymous with trusted quality. The R500 takes that legacy forward, delivering precision across all rice types-whether short, medium, or long grain, and even specialty varieties like basmati and jasmine. Its efficiency extends to white, steamed, and parboiled rice, making it a versatile solution in a rapidly evolving market.

The SORTEX R500 is more than just a new machine-it’s Bühler’s answer to the growing complexities in rice processing. By combining automation with smart design, it helps processors stay competitive in an industry where every grain and every margin counts.