At a recent working field demonstration in Germany, Kverneland unveiled its latest generation of new products, ahead of publicly launching them at Agritechnica in November. This included a full line-up of own-branded, mechanical weeding equipment.
Earlier this year, the Kverneland Group acquired 100% of the shares in the mechanical weeding firm, BC Technique S.A.S. Company. The French company was a manufacturer of inter-row cultivators, rotary hoes, guidance interfaces and tine harrows. This equipment was distributed under the Phenix Agrosystem brand.
Kverneland said it’s been working hard to integrate the new product group into its portfolio of arable equipment. After a successful season of field trials all over Europe, the manufacturer is now ready to fully launch the range. Kverneland feels these products are well fitted for the future of sustainable farming, and will play a key role in modern weed control, alongside the reduction of chemical usage, to meet European regulations going forward. Kverneland representatives outlined that the EU target is to reduce chemical usage by 50% and to increase the area farmed organically to 25% by 2030. Lars Rotseth, Kverneland’s head of arable systems, said: “It [mechanical weeding] is one of the areas that will grow the most aggressively in the future. We expect it to double within four to five years, and then another doubling after that.”
The hoe is fitted with cast-iron, ground-driven star wheels.
Helios rotary hoe
The Helios rotary hoe is designed to carry out several actions in one pass, which include pulling up the weed, breaking up the capped soil surface, aerating the top horizon, consolidating the subsoil and increasing mineralisation.
The hoe is fitted with cast-iron, ground-driven, star wheels. These feature a special back-of-spoon design, which allows performance even with low working speeds, in difficult conditions, without blocking. Curved upwards, they work without digging by gravity. They are designed to lift weeds with no projections to reduce the impact on the crop.
Selective mechanical weeding needs precision adjustment to match the soil conditions and weed pressure. With this in mind, the hoe can be equipped with either spring or hydraulic ‘soft control’ pressure overload protection.
Kverneland says a precise speed management can be set up to work as aggressively as necessary. The firm offers a one- row, following finger harrow at the rear of the unit, which finishes the job and preserves the seedbed. Kverneland has four models, in working widths from 3m rigid to 6.4m folding.
The Onyx inter-row cultivator is a modular unit, so it can be quickly adapted to different row widths, and can be fitted with a seeding unit.
New inter-row cultivator with guidance interface
The Onyx inter-row cultivator is fitted with a double H-shaped frame, with Kverneland saying it excels by rigidity and adaptability down to 12.5cm row width, while offering constant depth control. It can be used in row crops and cereals. For working with different crops, the modular unit is designed for a quick adaptation of row widths.
As with most manufacturers, they offer a wide range of shares in Hardox and Tungsten Carbide, as well as a full range of accessories such as ridger discs, side deflectors and finger weeders. Each element works independently. If fitted with section control, up to 13 sections are automatically lifted by IsoBus. The manufacturer says the shallow tillage at 2cm by the Onyx improves aeration of the soil, as a prerequisite to physicochemical reactions (humification, mineralisation of organic nitrogen).
For higher accuracy, the Onyx inter-row cultivator can be combined with the Lynx guidance interface. With a lateral movement of up to 25cm either side, Kverneland says that precise weeding is ensured.
The Lynx system is equipped with a HR, colorimetric analysis camera. An optional second camera can be added to further protect the plants by keeping the machine on track, even in hilly conditions or on odd-shaped headlands. There is also an optional crop feeler for working in developed crops.
As with most manufacturers, they offer a wide range of shares in Hardox and Tungsten Carbide as well as a full range of accessories, such as ridger discs, side deflectors and finger weeders.
Combining mechanical weeding and fertiliser application
Depending on the crops, soil conditions and farming system, Kverneland has extended the scope of its mechanical weeding offering by combining systems. The manufacturer says that right from the takeover, its crop care specialists worked on further developments to the offering. With a full machine combination from one supplier in mind, the company is ready to present its first combined systems of mechanical weeding and chemical crop care/fertiliser application at Agritechnica.
The Kverneland Onyx inter-row-cultivator will be combined with the firm’s iXtra LiFe for band spraying, or the application of liquid fertiliser. In combination with the Kverneland a-drill and front hopper f-drill, the simultaneous application of granular fertiliser or companion crops is now possible in one pass with the mechanical weeding. This will be available as a pre-series from 2024.
The Helios rotary hoe is designed to carry out several actions in one pass, which include pulling up the weed, breaking up the capped soil surface, aerating the top horizon, consolidating the subsoil and increasing mineralization.
The Onyx inter-row cultivator is fitted with a double H-shaped frame
At a recent working field demonstration in Germany, Kverneland unveiled its latest generation of new products, ahead of publicly launching them at Agritechnica in November. This included a full line-up of own-branded, mechanical weeding equipment.
Earlier this year, the Kverneland Group acquired 100% of the shares in the mechanical weeding firm, BC Technique S.A.S. Company. The French company was a manufacturer of inter-row cultivators, rotary hoes, guidance interfaces and tine harrows. This equipment was distributed under the Phenix Agrosystem brand.
Kverneland said it’s been working hard to integrate the new product group into its portfolio of arable equipment. After a successful season of field trials all over Europe, the manufacturer is now ready to fully launch the range. Kverneland feels these products are well fitted for the future of sustainable farming, and will play a key role in modern weed control, alongside the reduction of chemical usage, to meet European regulations going forward. Kverneland representatives outlined that the EU target is to reduce chemical usage by 50% and to increase the area farmed organically to 25% by 2030. Lars Rotseth, Kverneland’s head of arable systems, said: “It [mechanical weeding] is one of the areas that will grow the most aggressively in the future. We expect it to double within four to five years, and then another doubling after that.”
The hoe is fitted with cast-iron, ground-driven star wheels.
Helios rotary hoe
The Helios rotary hoe is designed to carry out several actions in one pass, which include pulling up the weed, breaking up the capped soil surface, aerating the top horizon, consolidating the subsoil and increasing mineralisation.
The hoe is fitted with cast-iron, ground-driven, star wheels. These feature a special back-of-spoon design, which allows performance even with low working speeds, in difficult conditions, without blocking. Curved upwards, they work without digging by gravity. They are designed to lift weeds with no projections to reduce the impact on the crop.
Selective mechanical weeding needs precision adjustment to match the soil conditions and weed pressure. With this in mind, the hoe can be equipped with either spring or hydraulic ‘soft control’ pressure overload protection.
Kverneland says a precise speed management can be set up to work as aggressively as necessary. The firm offers a one- row, following finger harrow at the rear of the unit, which finishes the job and preserves the seedbed. Kverneland has four models, in working widths from 3m rigid to 6.4m folding.
The Onyx inter-row cultivator is a modular unit, so it can be quickly adapted to different row widths, and can be fitted with a seeding unit.
New inter-row cultivator with guidance interface
The Onyx inter-row cultivator is fitted with a double H-shaped frame, with Kverneland saying it excels by rigidity and adaptability down to 12.5cm row width, while offering constant depth control. It can be used in row crops and cereals. For working with different crops, the modular unit is designed for a quick adaptation of row widths.
As with most manufacturers, they offer a wide range of shares in Hardox and Tungsten Carbide, as well as a full range of accessories such as ridger discs, side deflectors and finger weeders. Each element works independently. If fitted with section control, up to 13 sections are automatically lifted by IsoBus. The manufacturer says the shallow tillage at 2cm by the Onyx improves aeration of the soil, as a prerequisite to physicochemical reactions (humification, mineralisation of organic nitrogen).
For higher accuracy, the Onyx inter-row cultivator can be combined with the Lynx guidance interface. With a lateral movement of up to 25cm either side, Kverneland says that precise weeding is ensured.
The Lynx system is equipped with a HR, colorimetric analysis camera. An optional second camera can be added to further protect the plants by keeping the machine on track, even in hilly conditions or on odd-shaped headlands. There is also an optional crop feeler for working in developed crops.
As with most manufacturers, they offer a wide range of shares in Hardox and Tungsten Carbide as well as a full range of accessories, such as ridger discs, side deflectors and finger weeders.
Combining mechanical weeding and fertiliser application
Depending on the crops, soil conditions and farming system, Kverneland has extended the scope of its mechanical weeding offering by combining systems. The manufacturer says that right from the takeover, its crop care specialists worked on further developments to the offering. With a full machine combination from one supplier in mind, the company is ready to present its first combined systems of mechanical weeding and chemical crop care/fertiliser application at Agritechnica.
The Kverneland Onyx inter-row-cultivator will be combined with the firm’s iXtra LiFe for band spraying, or the application of liquid fertiliser. In combination with the Kverneland a-drill and front hopper f-drill, the simultaneous application of granular fertiliser or companion crops is now possible in one pass with the mechanical weeding. This will be available as a pre-series from 2024.
The Helios rotary hoe is designed to carry out several actions in one pass, which include pulling up the weed, breaking up the capped soil surface, aerating the top horizon, consolidating the subsoil and increasing mineralization.
The Onyx inter-row cultivator is fitted with a double H-shaped frame
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