A tool for every cultivation dilemma

Soil tillage should be targeted to need rather than habit, with depth and intensity calculated to the field conditions. With a range of compact disc harrows, shallow tine cultivators and deep-work tine or disc and tine cultivators, Amazone says there is a tool in its range to solve any cultivation dilemmas.

Using the rule of thumb of 1cm/tonne straw/ha, crop residues should be incorporated at the minimum required to prevent over-working soils. The Catros+ compact disc harrows come in widths from 3–12m and disc sizes from 460–660mm. Disc diameter depends on the working depth required; too large a disc working shallow will lead to a poor mixing effect and so the 510mm serrated disc, which offers depths from 5–15 cm, is a good all-rounder.

Reconsolidation is provided by a choice of 11 different rollers, depending on the soil type. Up-front, a Crushboard can provide a pre-cultivation or levelling effect whereas the knife roller will pre-shred cover crops or other surface residues ahead of the discs.

The Cobra shallow tine cultivator again features that choice of Crushboard or knife roller upfront. The six stagger tine layout offers substantial clearance from tine to tine for good trash flow. The vibration of the ECO leaf spring tines shatters the soil producing finer soil and separating the plant roots to ensure a good mechanical kill.

The 220mm duckfoot points can be used for both cutting the full soil surface to destroy plant growth, control weeds and break that capillary transpiration action or, alternatively, the 50mm narrow points break up the soil surface, leaving the perfect preconditions for volunteer and weed seed germination as well as a weatherproof finish. The Cobra, due to its intensive tine action, can also be used for seedbed preparation ahead of the drill.

The Ceus disc and tine combination cultivator gives the ultimate in flexibility as the Ceus can be used with the front ‘Catros’ discs only for shallow stubble working, the C-Mix tines only for soil loosening down to a depth of 30cm or a combination of both tines and discs to fully incorporate any crop residues.

Depending on the job in hand, the C-Mix tines can be fitted with 80mm or 100mm incorporation points, with or without mixing wings, or the 40mm narrow point for below surface shatter of any compaction issues. Stone protection is provided with a choice of compression springs, the C-Mix Super, or the pressure-adjustable, hydraulic release on the C-Mix Ultra.

The GreenDrill catch crop seeder box can be mounted to any Amazone cultivator for the one-pass establishment of cover crops and green manures in accordance with the various SFI schemes on the go.

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