Müthing’s COVERSEEDER has been awarded a silver medal in the AGRITECHNICA 2022 Innovation Award in the Seeding and Cultivation Technology category. The Müthing COVERSEEDER enables the processing of crop residues after harvesting and the targeted spreading and covering of the applied seed in one operation, without having to carry out prior soil preparation.
With the aid of this method, the farmer has an important instrument at their disposal for the effective use of a catch crop, in order to be able to actively promote the preservation and improvement of the soil. Due to the direct sowing after the harvest and without previous soil preparation, the farmer gains an important time advantage compared to conventional methods. This offers them the possibility of early establishment and maximum use of catch crops.
The term “cover” describes two important conditions that are made possible by the use of the process. On the one hand, the protective covering of the soil with organic material as part of the processing of crop residues after the threshing process and, on the other hand, the covering of the seed applied during this process, e.g. for the establishment of catch crops and green cover. The rapid decomposition of the mulch layer and the resulting high nutrient requirement for the rotting straw is counteracted by this process, as the organic matter is not incorporated into the soil and the crop residues therefore rot much more slowly. The mulch layer thus covers and protects the soil until the catch crop can provide coverage, which reduces evaporation and erosion to a minimum.
The main components of the COVERSEEDER consist of a leading harrow (1), the rotor (2) with variably adjustable shear bar (3), the seed bar (4) and a prism roller (5). In the first operation step, the harrow provides fine soil by scratching the soil surface, which later improves the germination of the seed. In addition, the harrow helps to improve the straw distribution after threshing. Next, the crop residues enter the range of the rotor. Here the stubble is separated close to the ground and all the organic matter is picked up from the surface, resulting in a soil surface free of crop residues. With the aid of the shear bar, the shredding rate of the crop residues can be variably adjusted and the suction effect additionally varied. This means that even green, unripe straw is no problem to pick up and process. Specially formed baffle plates inside the seed bar allow uniform and comprehensive application on the soil surface that was cleared immediately beforehand using the broadcast sowing method. Above the seed bar, the rotor releases the processed organic material again so that the required coverage of the seed by the mulch layer is ensured. Finally, the prism roller ensures good soil contact and thus provides optimal germination conditions for the seed.
The Müthing COVERSEEDER not only offers agricultural operations the opportunity to make even better use of the advantages of a well-developed catch crop, but also offers great potential for improving their profitability, as the implement can of course also be used all year round for mulching and maintenance work in arable farming and grassland operations, in addition to very cost-efficient sowing.
The COVERSEEDER will initially be available with a working width of 2.80 m and for driving powers of 130 – 250 HP, further working widths are planned.
See for yourself at Agritechnica 2022 at Stand B33 in Hall 11.
The Müthing trade fair team is looking forward to your visit.
