With agrochemical restrictions on the rise, alongside a surge in resistant weeds, many arable farmers are now turning focus to more holistic methods of weed management.
Among the strategies is mechanical control, and a new offering from Lemken is claimed to be able to provide effective weed control while protecting the soil.
Designed for usage in ‘ultra-flat’ stubble working, the Koralin 9 hybrid cultivator brings together the best from a disc harrow and a cultivator via a combination of discs and a tine featuring duckfoot sweep shares.
Reliable control
According to UK manager, Paul Creasy, this enables reliable control of weeds, even in large areas or where straw has not been removed. “The symmetrical forward-running discs attached to secure leaf springs have already proved their worth as they are fitted to the Heliodor compact disc harrow.
“With a 510mm diameter, the disc generates an abrasive sub-soil profile, which prevents the share from forming a layer of compacted soil below.”
At working depths of 2cm to a maximum of 10cm, the duckfoot sweep shares cut the roots of the weeds or cover crop horizontally like a knife, he explains. “For this reason, the Koralin is best suited to repeated flat cutting at working depths which are slightly increased each time. Shares are available with hard metal tips which increase life expectancy, reduce costs and consequently reduces machine down time to a minimum during the high season.”
What’s more, the depth guidance system fitted to the Koralin hybrid cultivator operates accurately by means of stabilisers within the device, meaning that the roller can be replaced by a multi-row harrow for more effective weed control, notes Paul.
Soil-saving
And it’s not just about weed control. With growers also putting a greater focus on active soil protection, Paul adds that the Koralin can be beneficial from this perspective too. “The discs can also be used systematically to perforate the soil at the bottom of the shares and promote drainage of surface water.”
In average to heavy soil conditions, the discs can also help to improve the crumb structure of the soil during seedbed preparation, he says. “The tines have a 35cm cut and are arranged symmetrically in three rows, with line spacing of 30cm, and overlap each other by 2.5cm. They are secured to the main frame by a sprung overload device. This guarantees the necessary lateral and height stability, so that the shares can work over the whole surface for sustained periods.”
For more information on the Koralin 9, visit here.
