There has been much attention paid to ultra shallow cultivation over the last few years, and at a recent launch day in Austria Pottinger threw its hat in the ring, with the revealing of its Plano VT 6060.
Described as a stubble cultivator, the machine has an optimal working depth of 6 to 8cm and comes with a choice of either 200mm duckfoot tines, or straight 50mm chisel tines for deeper cultivations.
It was the duckfoot model that was on display in Austria, and it is this version that the company feels will gain the greater sales on the continent, where conditions tend to be drier than here in Ireland.
Although it may not be immediately applicable to Irish conditions, it does demonstrate the the way in which the company approaches new product development and that is through innovation, rather than applying other ideas that may already be on the market, according to general manager for Pottinger Ireland, Diarmuid Claridge.
Tine placement key to Plano
The size and positioning of the tines on the frame is a case in point.
There is a balance to be had between overlap of the worked area by the wings of the tines and draught requirements, and hence fuel requirements, of the implement.
Pottinger has approached this conundrum by creating a rigid mounting for the tine that reduces deflection to either side, by doing so the amount of overlap can be reduced, therefore saving fuel, it claims.
The Plano VT 6060 has 37 tines altogether on its two frame sections, resulting in a tine spacing of 16.2cm across 6m working width.
They are protected from damage by a 200kg spring operated break-back mechanism.
The underframe clearance is 60cm allowing cultivation of ground that has a high volume of organic matter such as cover crops which are to be integrated back into the top layer of soil.
Optional extras
To help with this operation, a knife roller can be attached to the front of the frame, adding a shredding effect before the plants are sliced off just below ground level, and the soil shaken from the roots, accelerating the desiccation process.
The precision of the depth control is particularly critical in in ultra shallow cultivations and this is achieved through a short frame and jockey wheels at the front working in combination with the rear roller.
The Plano VT 6060 was one of the several major announcements made at the event, but it is a significant addition to the company’s portfolio, as it fills a gap which other manufacturers were already exploiting.
