A new soil-engaging tool enables Einbock’s Chopstar-Verso tractor-mounted hoe to tackle weeds in cereal crops.

Mounted in sets of three on a Verso 3-60 row unit, the ultra-flat “arrowhead” sweeps of the new tine are designed for 150mm row widths.

Einbock says the implement’s side-shift mechanism and optional guidance camera are said to be sufficiently responsive and accurate for working speeds of up to 12kph.

See also: Side-shift linkage options deliver pinpoint crop weeding

The Chopstar-Verso is primarily designed for weeding in row crops, such as sugar beet, at row spacings from 450-600mm with the three-tine 3-60 unit, or 600-800mm with the five-tine 5-80 version.

For row crops, these deploy angled discs that pull soil and weeds from close to the plants, followed by a central “A” share and two angled sweeps.

This setup can operate in crops sown conventionally into a fully-prepared seed-bed, into a trash-laden min-till seed-bed, or into strip-tilled soil.

Each unit is mounted on a lengthy parallelogram linkage attached to the toolbar, with a leading Farmflex wheel providing depth control and a tension-adjustable coil spring regulating down-pressure on the soil-engaging tools.

On the Verso 3-60 unit available with the new cereal crop tool, the centre tine is mounted rigidly and the outer two are carried on flat steel “C” springs.

Overall working widths go to 11m, and units can be lifted individually under manual or GPS operation with the optional section control system.

Terrington Machinery is the importer.