Standen-Pearson has announced a new three-bed quad potato planter capable of covering up to 25 acres/day. The SP644-RT model is a trailed machine for planting three beds of potatoes in quad formation. The result is 12 rows with the seeds spaced in a diamond pattern to produce tubers to a very tight specification for the salad market.
Based on a new strong tubular chassis, the SP644-RT introduces an updated seed hopper design to this and all Standen-Pearson multi-bed planters. It features a hydraulically tipping hopper to facilitate gentler seed loading, as the hopper is lowered to reduce the filling drop. Gentle planting is a major feature of all Standen-Pearson planters with a moving hopper floor presenting a controlled level of seeds to the cups to minimise seed chit damage.
Precision planting depth control is automatically controlled on the complete machine, and also on each bed individually. Stainless steel is used extensively; for the openers, side shields and bed forming hoods. The forming hoods lift automatically at the end of each row, with proximity sensors controlling their lift height in relation to the hopper position.
Hopper capacity is about 4,000kg and four-wheel steering is standard equipment along with placement cups and the Space Selector system that provides many features including selectable seed spacing and population adjustment on the move.
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| Standen-Pearson’s SP644-RT plants 12 rows at a time in a diamond formation for growing salad potatoes. |
An optional purpose-built trailer is offered for road transport that has been developed to minimise turnaround time, allowing the planter to be road ready in less than 10 minutes. The low-level trailer is fitted with loading ramps and its design means the machine is securely positioned without the need for strapping down.
Standen-Pearson potato planters are produced by Standen Engineering Ltd at Ely, in Cambridgeshire, and up to 80 per cent of the components for these machines are manufactured by the company.
The new SP644-RT is priced at £77,000 (April 2012) and can be ordered now for the 2013 planting season.
For more information visit: www.standen.co.uk.
