This year tyres are again the focus for many farmers and contractors have faced a difficult start to 2016. Poor weather and rainfall have led to wet fields, making it hard to travel on them. Flotation tyres on tractors and tankers have been used to help spread the natural tyre footprint on the soil using low ground pressure.

New trailer regulations focusing on the weight that can be carried per axle has also focused on flotation tyres. A sprung axle on flotation tyres can carry a 10t load. The tyre has to be over 500mm in width for this allowance. It is very important to understand the speed and the axle load will influence the amount of pressure in the tyre. The general rule is that more pressure is needed for higher speeds with bigger loads.

We look at the relationship between both and how the desired pressure is calculated. Also in this Focus section we profile one of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world. BKT has invested $500m in the development of a state-of-the-art factory in India.

The latest developments from Mitas, Bridgestone and Michelin are reported on also.

Finally, a brief word on safety. The force of a typical agricultural tyre when it explodes reaches 12t; it is comparable to being hit by small truck. Ensure that safe work practices are observed when handling tyres and check out the safety page on tyres in this section.

To read the full Tyres Focus Supplement, click here.