Running at up to 12 mph, Amazone’s Catros-2TX trailed compact disc harrow can work at depths of 5.5 inches and leave the field with a smooth finish, ready for planting.
In this report from Agritechnica, Amazone’s Jeff Schott shares how the implement, ideally suited for shallow and intensive soil mixing tillage, also has the flexibility and versatility to take out a crop of alfalfa and manage the heavy residue that corn stalks can create.
The Catros-2TX, which comes in models ranging from 10 to 40 feet, can move a lot of trash and also chop up a significant cover crop. “Because of the knife rollers that we have on front, we can actually size that trash down to very small pieces,” says Schott. “The knife roller is kind of a smaller diameter, so it runs really quickly, and it’s cutting up that residue into fine pieces before it even interacts with the discs which are eventually going to turn it over. So it allows us to get a very nice black finish.”
When it comes to soil levelling and crumbling, the Catros-2TX comes with an optional crushboard. “Depending on your soil conditions and your speed, your soil will get thrown into the roller and it may leave an unlevelled finish,” explains Schott. “By being thrown into this crushboard, we can kind of settle it down before that roller rolls over it, leaving a really level finish across the width of the machine.”
Schott notes that tillage depth can be controlled hydraulically “on the the fly.” The machine also provides seeding options for growers wanting to till and plant at the same time. “We we can blow that seed in whether it’s cover crops, or maybe you want to just barely touch the soil and spread your oats or wheat — we can do that all in the same pass.” (See the video below.)
RealAgriculture’s coverage of Agritechnica is brought to you by Optimum GLY, a new canola trait technology from Corteva Agriscience.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | All Podcasts
