Less fuel consumption and less working hours, less wheel tracks and less soil compaction - these are the advantages when potato planting and the preparing soil tillage are combined in one operational pass. For this method of combination now the first experiences in practical operation are available for the Amazone KG 3000 rotary cultivator and the GL 34 potato planter offered by Grimme. As in many other operational procedures also in this machine combination the rotary cultivator with its large, blockage free passage and its insensitiveness to stones is of important advantage. The rotary cultivator is suspended in a specific parallelogram underneath the extended draw bar of the potato planter, its working depth allows for infinitely variable adjustment via an individual lifting ram. Drive via the tractor PTO shaft.
Practical operations in usual dry to slightly wet soil conditions showed good to very good results. In optimum conditions, i. e. on well dried soils the operational result was even very good. In very wet soil conditions, however, it became obvious that the potatoes should not be covered with too much soil as otherwise they would not sprout optimally. In these conditions the combination should be possibly separated to carry out the operational passes soil tillage and potato planting individually. Also this is possible without any problem as mounting and dismounting the rotary cultivator on to or off the potato planter is done with just a few hand clamps.
Practical operations in usual dry to slightly wet soil conditions showed good to very good results. In optimum conditions, i. e. on well dried soils the operational result was even very good. In very wet soil conditions, however, it became obvious that the potatoes should not be covered with too much soil as otherwise they would not sprout optimally. In these conditions the combination should be possibly separated to carry out the operational passes soil tillage and potato planting individually. Also this is possible without any problem as mounting and dismounting the rotary cultivator on to or off the potato planter is done with just a few hand clamps.
