Joined-up harrow
Joined-up harrow
AN AIR harrow drill designed specifically to sow small seeds such as grass and clover is due to be launched later this year.
The unit is the result of joining France-built Pichon grass harrows – imported by NutriTech – with Landmec Pottingers Fiona GrassAir pneumatic seeding unit.
Developed by Devon contractor Andrew Cleave, the mounting system is such that the drill unit can be removed should harrows-only be required. The harrows themselves come in 1.5m units which float independently and can be built up to create working widths from 6m to 12m. Each unit is fitted with 60, 8mm spring tines which can be adjusted to increase or decrease aggression.
The Fiona air drill employs a hydraulically driven fan unit with seed delivered from a 320-litre seed hopper to an eight-section adjustable fluted seed roller driven by a ground wheel.
Seed is then passed into an injector system which, via a venturi, first sucks the seed from the rollers and then blows it through feed pipes to the harrow distribution heads. It is an arrangement which is claimed not to create return pressure in the feed cups.
Seed rates from 1kg/ha to 52kg/ha can be sown with work rates of up to 6ha/hour (15 acres/hour) said to be possible with a 6m version. According to NutriTech, the drill can be used to sow seed both on cultivated land and into existing grass swards.
Price of a 6m drill is expected to be in the region of £6000. *