Pöttinger’s mechanical crop care offering has been introduced to provide sustainable, crop-specific and site-specific plant protection. The Rotocare rotary hoe and the Flexcare row crop cultivator allow mechanical weeding measures to be implemented gently and effectively.
Settings on the Rotocare can be adjusted to handle different operating conditions. Using depth control wheels and setting the lower linkage on the tractor to the floating position ensures the best ground tracking. The position of the top link regulates the working intensity by adjusting the pressure on the rotary hoe stars. The driving speed determines the aggressiveness of the process.
The row-independent rotary hoe stars sweep away weeds with their roots in the white thread, germination and one-leaf stage out of the soil and deposit them on the surface. The weeds then dry up. They are overturned and completely covered with earth. Photosynthesis is prevented by the lack of sunlight so that the weeds perish.
Another positive effect is that encrusted soil is broken up. The rotary hoe pierces the soil surface to produce a crumbling effect. This aerates the soil, improves drainage and promotes nutrient mineralisation.
With working speeds of 10km/hr to 30km/hr and working widths of 6.6m to 12.4m, impressive output can be achieved. The Rotocare machines are engineered for high productivity, allowing farmers to make the most of short, optimal time windows for mechanical weed control.
Settings on the Flexcare mechanical weeder can be adjusted to handle different operating conditions. Many of the settings can be made without the need for tools. Different duck foot shares, weeding blades and following tools allow the machine to be optimised to the operating conditions. Various control systems ensure the best working results.
Different row crop cultivation effects can be achieved using Flexcare hoeing technology. When the weed is cut right through, the leaves are completely separated from the root system. This stops plant growth as the root system perishes and the leaves dry out. The weed is then overturned and covered with soil so that photosynthesis is prevented due to the lack of sunlight. The vibrating movement of the weeding tools effectively breaks up incrustations.
The Flexcare row crop cultivator can handle row widths between 25cm and 160cm. The number of hoe elements can be freely selected depending on the frame width. Each tool carrier can be adapted for up to five hoe elements – any configuration can be chosen. In addition, large scalloped plant protection discs, as well as finger hoes, can be attached as following tools.
With the Flexcare row crop cultivator, there’s no need for time-consuming measurement and alignment of the weeding tools. A preset hole matrix and indicator scales on each component make it easy to set up all the tools identically.
An integrated hydraulic shift frame is standard and ensures convenient operation. The hydraulically controlled frame greatly reduces driver fatigue while maintaining a high level of precision. By constantly adjusting the frame to the row, plant damage and crop losses are avoided while compensating for planting inaccuracies.
