High-speed weeding in grain and row crops is the role covered by the new Roto-Master RMN implement from Bednar.

The machine has two interlocking banks of 480mm-diameter wheels, each armed with 16 cranked tines designed to scoop weeds from the crop while breaking the soil surface to remediate capping and encourage air to the roots.

The curved trailing arms that each carry a pair of tine wheels at 105mm spacing are mounted by a pivot pin to the toolbar, with a vertical coil spring applying downward pressure while allowing the wheels to individually follow surface contours.

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Fast-paced working helps the weed-plucking action of the implement – Bednar says it is designed to operate at up to 30kph.

The new mechanical weeding tool is available in 6m, 9m and 12.4m widths, with frame support wheels designed to provide a stable base for high-speed operation as well as a means of adjusting working depth from 20-40mm and up to 30kg of pressure per wheel.

For row crops such as maize, the tine wheel spacing can be altered by removing individual sets, with the three units working the soil in 800mm, 750mm or 700mm strips, or two units for 500mm rows.

A 6m unit is priced from £19,000.