The first commercial Cross Slot no-ill air seeder made its debut in North Dakota last week.

H.K. Larson, Willow City, N.D., demonstrated its capabilities for about 90 farmers by running the 45-foot rig through corn stalks, pasture sod and barley stubble on his farm without stopping to make down pressure or depth control adjustments. Load sensors and hydraulic cylinders on each opener control the depth automatically

Invented in New Zealand more the 30 years ago, the Cross Slot seeder has been used widely in New Zealand and other countries for years. There are also Cross Slot seeders being used in the Pacific Northwest. Research models have been tested in North Dakota.

Farmers get down and dirty checking out the unique seed slot created by the Cross Slot no-till drill.

The Cross Slot's claim to fame is that it is an ultra-low disturbance drill and can go through large amount of residue. The unique opener creates an inverted T-shaped seed slot in the soil and tucks seed and fertilizer in the slots on either single of a single disk. The seed and fertilizer end up being about 1 ½ inches apart from each other. Closing wheels fold the flap above each slot back into place.

"It works like a zipper, literary a zipper," says Gavin Porter, Cross Slot's U.S. director, who was on-hand for the demo at Larson's farm.

Placing the seed in the slot, directly underneath a flap of undistributed soil, puts in the seed in a zone of increase humidity and the zone doesn't dry out like a seed slot does. As a result, Cross Slot users see significant increases in germination and emergence uniformity, especially in dry soil conditions.

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The Cross Slot seeder from New Zealand created an inverted T shaped slot for seed and fertilizer.

Larson isn't as concerned about emergence, given the wet soil conditions he has this year, as he is about getting residue. The Cross Slot seeder is supposed to shine there too. It uses a notched disk that through residue instead of hairpinning and pushing it. Larson also likes the idea of having a seeder than can handle a wide range of soil types and conditions.

Larson plan to convert some Conservation Reserve Program acres this year with the Cross Slot. He'll simply burn down the weeds and direct seed field peas with the Cross Slot drill.

"We'll see how it turns out," he says.

Cross Slot has partnered with Gates Manufacturing Inc., Landsford, N.D., to build drill frames and toolbars for the Cross Slot seeder.

The Cross Slot seeder that Larson, who will be a dealer for the company, bought cost approximately $280,000.

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