One of the biggest challenges with operating hydraulic air seeding equipment is managing and controlling clumping and blockages that accumulate in the seeding hose from residue in the field.
Weeds, soil, animal manure, and fertiliser can prevent an air seeder from releasing even pressure and dispersing seeds at a consistent rate and depth in the ground.
To deter the effects of residue and clumping blockages, many growers prefer to use disc seeders, rather than a more traditional tyne seeder machines, because they have a greater ability to handle heavy crop residues. However, according to Australian Government’s Grain Research and Development Corporation, one potential limitation to disc seeders is what is known as residue ‘hair-pinning,’ where residue is forced into the furrow by the disc opener resulting in poor seed to soil contact and a reduced ability to cut down residue.
Residue handling is particularly challenging in soft soil conditions, which can become quickly apparent to novice growers operating disc seeding systems. Consequently, controlling hair-pinning by minimising residue is critical to ensuring precision seeding and sowing processes and evenly spaced rows of crops.
According to Fellipe Ramos, Category Manager at CRAM, one way this can be achieved is by ensuring disc seeder units are fitted with premium hydraulic down-pressure systems. In addition, they are fitted with dialled pressure control systems which can be gauged easier for better handling of residue materials and more precision air flow of seeds.
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