Canadian firm Bushel Plus reckons its new retrofit combine concave system could be just the ticket for John Deere X9 owners considering grain maize as an alternative break crop.

With cabbage stem flea beetle a perennial issue in oilseed rape, gross margins potentially exceeding those of wheat, and a later drilling date allowing growers to maximise winter grazing, the crop is attracting increased interest from arable and mixed farms.

See also: How grain maize earns more profit than wheat for two growers

The main selling point of the Split Frame MAD Concaves is the modular design that simplifies the switch from small-grain cereals to maize.

© Bushel Plus

Rather than replacing the whole unit, buyers simply swap the lightweight steel inserts in the structural framework.

This reduces the changeover time from several hours to 15 minutes, the company says, with various inserts are available to suit different crops and maintain the correct spacing and alignment for threshing and separation.

Field tests have apparently also shown the MAD concaves to deliver cleaner samples and, in maize, fewer cracked kernels.

The manufacturer, which is in the process of rebranding to BranValt, also sells the SmartPan attachment for assessing grain losses and the MiniCombine moister meter.