Now in serial production and full availability: Kverneland offers the MD disc unit as a new equipment variation for the u-drill model range. The MD discs are an alternative to the short disc harrow specification and meet the increasing need for reduced seedbed preparation with minimal soil disturbance.
Flexible in operation, the MD disc has the ability to work as part of a conservation tillage system, or within a conventional crop establishment process.
Sustainability in arable farming has become more and more important in today’s arable farming. Reduced tillage with less soil movement will help to reduce soil erosion, increase soil productivity and reduce fuel use and production costs. One of the challenges the farmer is facing is to reconcile minimum tillage and precise seed placement for an even seed emergence and crop development.
“This minimum disturbance disc“, Sebastian Koers, Product Manager at Kverneland Group Soest, explains, “makes the u-drill ideal for use in cover crop rotations. The crop is laid down by the consolidating rollers for improved decomposition and reduced emergence of grass weeds that are yet to germinate. At the same time, the fluted profile of the discs assist with removing surface trash while lightly preparing soil in a seeding strip of 30-50mm for best emergence of seeds.”
The straight MD disc design (Ø 430mm) allows the fluted blade to clear the residue vertically, providing excellent cutting and penetration. This reduces the risk of “hair-pinning” where the residue is pushed into the seed slot preventing the seed from having good soil contact.
The soil between each MD disc is not disturbed, resulting in improved control of weed germination. Within the seeding profile, the clearing and cutting of the crop residue and soil aggregates ensure the ideal environment for residue decomposition, creating a narrow seedbed strip of soil. Each MD disc also aligns perfectly with the u-drill’s CD coulter, delivering a row spacing of 16.7cm. This provides every row with equal growing conditions.
With the introduction of the MD disc section in serial production, Kverneland complements the features and offering of the u-drill range and allows farmers to find the right solution for individual conditions and challenges.
