Pottinger has launched its first tine-based cultivator developed specifically for shallow, high-speed work.

The Plano, currently available only as the 6m VT 6060, has been designed to stir surface soil, slice through old roots, incorporate catch crops and conserve moisture, ideally at depths of 60-80mm.

However, it can go as low as 150mm, set by hydraulically controlled single or double jockey wheels at the front and a roller press at the rear.

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According to Pottinger, the symmetrical arrangement of the 37 rigid tines, spaced 162mm apart and across six rows, helps prevent crabbing on heavy ground and slopes.

With 600mm of under-frame clearance, it should be able to handle big volumes of trash and cover crop residue without bunging up.

Tines are protected by a sprung break-back mechanism rated to 200kg, and their rigid mounting apparently minimises sideways movement to keep each one working its own path at the desired depth.

On the ends, buyers can spec 200mm-wide Durastar Plus duck foot shares for shallow but full-width work, or 50mm-wide Durastar chisel points for deeper loosening and intensive mixing of soil and crop residue.

Other options include a leading knife roller to process cover crops and stubbles, Pottinger’s Tegosem seeder, and a range of rear rollers, presses and harrows.

The company also offers Traction Control – a hydraulic weight transfer system which shifts up to 1.1t onto the tractor’s rear axle to improve traction and fuel economy, adjustable according to working depth.

Aerosem updates

Pottinger has also announced updates for its Aerosem VT5000DD (5m) and VT6000DD (6m) trailed drills, which now come with the Profiline “comfort control” hydraulic management system.

With oil supplied by the tractor’s load-sensing connection, functions are either controlled electro-hydraulically via a hydraulic block and operated through the drill’s in-cab terminal, or automatically using section control on the task controller.

Coulter pressure is also now regulated automatically, adjusted according to site-specific conditions.

Lifting and lowering sequences can be set based on time or distance travelled, and in work it is possible to lift or lower individual elements.

Sensor monitoring enables the machine to fold and unfold automatically.

A headland management feature is controlled at the touch of a button or automatically with a task controller.

And Task Controller Geo allows application maps to control the machine, altering cultivation depth, coulter pressure and seed and fertiliser rates without any operator input.

Aerosem VT6000 DD 6m seed drill © Pottinger

Three- and four-furrow ploughs

The Austrian company has also introduced new entry-level ploughs, the Servo 2000 series, for tractors up to 130hp.

These are available with three or four furrows and include hydraulic furrow width adjustment as standard. The company’s Nova hydraulic leg protection is optional.

Meanwhile, Pottinger’s Servo 4000 ploughs are now available with on-land capability.

Servo 2000-series plough © Pottinger