In these months leading up to Agritechnica, Kverneland is one of many companies keen to get the news of its developments out before they it is lost in the overwhelming avalanche of press releases that surrounds the event.

The company that has taken the trouble to introduce the world to its latest additions and upgrades well before this major event, inviting the press to Germany to view them in action.

Sun wheels and cameras

Like all the major manufacturers, the company has been keen to enter the mechanical weed control market.

It purchased the French brand, Phenix Agrosystem earlier this year, and it was these latest machines to enter its range which were a major part of the presentation.

Now dressed in the more familiar Kverneland livery were five models on display, including the Helios weeder that was shown at this year’s Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) show.

Kverneland sun wheel weeder — The Helios weeder is named after the shape of the soil engaging wheels which have a reverse spoon type cultivating effect on the soil

This implement is being highlighted by the company in particular as it differs from other mechanical weeders in that it can be used in cereals, rather than being confined to rows of precision planted broad-leaved crops and maize.

Effective weeding of cereals without a sprayer is the holy grail of implement manufacturers, yet there is still the need to compete with the width of a sprayer boom as even with the widest Helios of 6.4m, there is nearly six times as much travelling than with a 36m boom.

Inter-row cultivation is still the focus of most mechanical weeders, yet in Ireland, row crops are very much in the minority so it is unlikely that they will be a bestseller here.

Inter-row guidance with cameras — The Kverneland Onyx combines an inter-row hoe with a camera guidance interface known as Lynx

However, should the Helios extend to a far greater working width, then Kverneland could well have a winner on its hands, although, as its working action is dependent upon on heavy cast steel wheels, the working width may prove to be limited by weight considerations.

Yet, the machinery industry is gearing up for much tighter controls on pesticide application so these advances shown here may well become the norm in the not too distant future.

Sprayers are with us still

Mechanical weed control might reduce herbicide usage but there is still the need to control insects and disease and so sprayers are not redundant yet.

Kverneland IXter sprayer fitted with TwinFill — The TwinFill system is designed to automatically ensure even mixing of chemical in both tanks

Continual development of the iXter range of sprayers has not stopped and the latest feature is an automated mixing system for mounted sprayers feeding off a front-mounted tank.

The chemical need only be added to the rear and the system will ensure it is mixed evenly throughout both tanks and the connecting pipework while filling is still in progress.

A small step perhaps, but it is usually by such increments that progress is made.

Precision fertiliser placement

Working back further through the cropping cycle, Kverneland has been looking closely at where fertiliser is placed in relation to the seed when drilling.

The company’s contention is that up until now, this has been a fairly random affair, although locating the granules at a lower level in the soil than the seed is now a well established feature of many seed drills.

Kverneland produced this demonstration of how the Pedum system groups the fertiliser granules at two different plant spacings

Kverneland has taken the placement of fertiliser a step further with its Pedum system which not only regulates the depth of the fertiliser, but also limits its application to the zone immediately under the seed.

The company claims that this can result in a 25% saving in fertiliser costs as the line of fertiliser being placed is not continuous; the granules are let into the soil as a small pocket of material and then the seed is placed above it.

Naturally there are some clever electronics involved in coordinating the seed and fertiliser placement with the main development being what is described as a brush valve.

Fertiliser accumulates in the conical brush before being released by a pulse of air fired through the central tube

This is a conical arrangement of bristles pointing downwards with the fertiliser granules accumulating in the tip.

These are released by a small pulse of compressed air directed down into the cone, which immediately closes after being emptied.

It is a clever idea and Kverneland has been performing trials, in conjunction with research establishments, for the last three years and is happy to claim a 25% reduction in fertiliser use with no adverse affect on yield.

ISOBUS comes to power harrows

Making adjustments to a power harrow in real time from the comfort of the cab is now possible with Kverneland’s latest Rotago range of power harrows.

The company notes that the working depth should always be reduced to the minimum needed as every cm of penetration means approximately 130t of soil moved per hectare.

Power harrow with transport wheel — Working depth of the latest Rotago power harrows can be controlled from the cab thanks to ISOBUS connectivity

Both the working depth and the height of the levelling bar can be adjusted via an ISOBUS screen, enabling ‘on the move’ adjustment as conditions change across the field, saving fuel in the process.

Folding power harrow with transport wheel — The transport wheel folds down to alleviate the weight on the tractor when on the road

A further addition to the range is the provision of a rear transport wheel that folds away in the field.

This is of particular use where the power harrow is being used in conjunction with a coulter bar, greatly adding to the stability and balance of the tractor when on the road.

Kverneland back the belt

Of late, much intertest has been shown in the concept of forming swathes in forage crops by the use of belts rather than tined rotors.

Through its purchase of the specialist producer of belt mergers, ROC, Kverneland has backed both horses.

The latest model is a short crop machine which is specifically designed to cope with frequent cutting regimes where the crop is likely to have less length and bulk.

ROC belt merger on headland — The RS1000 merger from ROC has been developed specifically for frequently cut crops

It is equipped with a new pick-up reel with tines that are geared to run 20% faster than normal while the roller above them sits closer, ensuring that the forage is delivered safely to the belt.

The support bogies have full suspension allowing the machine to travel smoothly over field, reducing the risk of the tines engaging with the ground or picking up stones.

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Tank mixing

Machinery Focus: Weeding and granule grouping by Kverneland