Mzuri’s new Germinator marks a major advance in straw and stale seedbed management, and the aimed at controlling blackgrass, cutting slug activity and accelerating straw decomposition.

The company is launching the machine in response to farmer demand, says Martin Lole, head of Mzuri.

“At this year’s Cereals event our staff heard many comments on the inadequacy of the existing range of straw rakes. Farmers told us they needed something that worked more effectively, and in field trials the Germinator has proven it can do just that”.

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The Germinator features a five-row tine harrow, with the option to fit a set of leading discs in front of them. These discs chop straw and trash and mix it with the surface tilth, before the tines spread the mix over the full working width.

The machine has a working width of 7.5 metres, hydraulically folds and locks to 2.8m for transport. It is mounted and needs around 120hp to achieve working speeds of 20kph, offering users excellent output – typically eight hectares per hour.

The working angle of the leading discs can be adjusted according to ground conditions and trash levels. They work no more than 30mm deep so they move the loose tilth and mix it with straw and stubble without cutting fresh soil.

Strength and durability come with the use of 150mm box section with 15mm plate for the frame. The leading discs have 410mm blades mounted on 80mm x 10mm coil springs.

The harrow tines can flex back and forward and side to side, that vibration enabling them to break up and spread all types of residue effectively.

List price for the harrow is £13,650, with the optional leading disc kit costing £5,465.