Inter-row Cultivation in a Corn Field

INTER-ROW CULTIVATION IN A CORN FIELD

Demonstration of a BEDNAR FMT inter-row cultivator in a corn field: ROW-MASTER RN 6000. This work operation, known as weeding, significantly improves the vegetation conditions of wide-row crops, namely within the air and water regime in soil.

WATER AND AIR MANAGEMENT

Weeding is an operation that is essential when growing sugar beet but we can also use its advantages when growing corn. Corn is one of the most demanding agricultural crops as far as warmth, moisture and soil properties are concerned. To achieve the most optimal conditions during vegetation, it is possible to apply inter-row cultivation that influences the quantity of air in soil by disturbing the soil crust, and restores the air regime, particularly after rain. Furthermore, this method of cultivation provides efficient water management as it interrupts capillarity and reduces evaporation and thus soil moisture stays in the root system. The absorption property of soil during subsequent precipitation is also increased. Weeding is also a good tool for mechanical regulation of weeds.

3 Meziradkova kultivace v porostu kukurice

Weeding is essential for growing sugar beet, but the advantages of this operation can also lbe used when growing corn

2 Meziradkova kultivace v porostu kukurice

The inter-row cultivator breaks the soil crust, which has a positive effect on the water and air regime in soil

MODEL WITH A HIGHER CLEARANCE

We used the ROW-MASTER RN 6000 cultivator in the corn fields that belong to our customer in the Havlíčkův Brod district, in aggregation with a John Deere 6820 tractor. The RN 6000 model is designed for weeding corn. The concept of the machine is the same as RN_S models for sugar beet, but with a higher clearance of the frame in order to allow weeding of the higher corn vegetation, even in a later vegetation stage. The RN 6000 model loosens soil between 8 rows of corn in a single pass using shares on the flexi tines, made from spring steel and allowing movement into three sides – the 3D effect. The cultivator is guiding between rows by the optics of CultiCam – a camera that scans the rows and assesses the vegetation. It sends information to the electronic system that communicates with the hydraulic equipment of the cultivator. Row-Master is then guided so that the working units work precisely in the rows between the crops.