Kverneland is to preview its Ecomat on-land shallow plough on plot 10 at Tillage-Live 2022, Eweford Farm, East Lothian, ahead of its launch in 2023.
Developed as an option for minimum disturbance seedbed preparation, the Ecomat provides mechanical control of pests and weeds through soil inversion, reducing the reliance on chemical methods.
“Ecomat is a half-way house between a plough and a cultivator,” explains Kverneland product specialist Adam Burt. “As a shallow plough, the Ecomat still turns soil over but without needing to work as deep as a traditional plough. This means it’s much easier to pull, and it does a far better job of inversion than a cultivator.”
High efficiency shallow ploughing
This latest version of the Ecomat enables high-efficiency shallow ploughing, at working depths ranging from 6cm to 18cm. As a result, output is much higher than conventional soil inversion methods, while fuel consumption per acre, is also reduced.
As an on-land plough comprising 10-furrows, the Ecomat is equipped with short, high-speed bodies of either steel or plastic construction. By working on-land, compaction can be limited by the use of tractors with much wider tyres operating at lower pressures than those typically used in-furrow.
Furrow widths are mechanically adjusted from 30-50cm creating a range of working widths from three to five metres, while its 65cm point-to-point clearance contributes to a compact overall size for a 10-furrow fully-mounted implement.
Plough length though, is safely managed during transport thanks to Kverneland’s innovative TTS – Trailer Transport System. This clever headstock design, found on many other Kverneland plough models, enables the Ecomat to be towed like a trailer.
