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Plan your cultivation... Thoroughly prepare the soil for sowing!
The foundation for successful seed emergence involves providing adequate water, heat, and air. Pre-sowing cultivation fulfills these requirements and ensures an appropriate, lumpy structure of the topsoil. The condition of the ground significantly affects its ability to retain rainwater, measuring the soil's retention capacity.
Introduction
A strong foundation for the proper development of the crop can only be guaranteed by a careful approach to preparing the field for sowing. Proper understanding and consideration of the relationship between habitat properties and production efficiency can maximize benefits in the farm's economic calculation. A good substrate for sowing seeds should be found in the appropriate soil structure, not excessively compacted, but properly seasoned with the type of soil, balancing excessive drainage and free drainage of excess rainwater.
What is pre-sowing cultivation?
The process of transforming a small seed into a plant ready for sale or processing is extensive. To achieve a rich harvest that rewards our efforts, proper soil preparation is essential. What is pre-sowing cultivation? What machines are valuable in this process? Why is it so important? We address these and other questions. Pre-sowing cultivation encompasses various activities utilizing advanced agricultural machinery. The goal is to create optimal conditions for the growth and development of the selected plants. Pre-sowing cultivation ensures the proper condition of the soil and guarantees plants access to water, oxygen, and essential nutrients. These activities also enhance the growth of the plant root system and make cultivation more effective.
Pre-sowing cultivation is fundamental for a successful harvest
Proper soil preparation before sowing ensures timely and uniform plant emergence. Rapid germination and appropriate initial development are crucial for achieving high yields. The field should be uniformly cultivated across the entire surface while preserving the appropriate structure. Passive tillage equipment, which integrates multiple tools, provides an ideal solution. These units facilitate the cultivation of even the heaviest soils in a single pass. Compared to active active cultivation units, they require less power and operate more efficiently. A quality machine should maintain consistent working depth, effectively crush clods, level the surface, and consolidate the tilled soil.
Cultivation depth equal to sowing depth
Pre-sowing field preparation should match the seed sowing depth, as this significantly impacts the speed and uniformity of plant emergence. This preparation is adapted to the seed size, nutrient content, germination method, water requirements during swelling, and oxygen needs during the biochemical transformation of storage compounds. For beet cultivation, seeds should be sown shallowly at 2-3 cm, due to the sprouts' limited soil penetration ability and tendency to sink. Pre-sowing cultivation for small seeds such as rapeseed, alfalfa, or cereals should be done at a similar depth. For larger seeds, like corn, capillaries should be closed at 5 cm depth in compact and moist soils, and at 7-8 cm in lighter, dry soils.
Mistakes during pre-sowing cultivation
In spring, during tillage operations preparing the field for sowing, mistakes are often made that reduce plant yields. Premature work with excessive soil moisture, resulting in inadequate load-bearing capacity, causes deep ruts left by machinery. This damages soil structure, severely limiting seed germination and plant development. Excessive tillage operations, high working speeds, or using active tillage machines on light soils can lead to soil spraying, erosion, and crusting. Deep pre-sowing tillage is also faulty, as it destroys the capillary water absorption system, leading to soil over-drying and hindered seed germination. The soil covering the seeds must have a fine, lumpy structure and a thick top layer to ensure air flow and rapid heating.
Soil well prepared for sowing
Optimal conditions for plant emergence and development occur when sown seeds make bottom contact with a moist, undisturbed soil layer, while the top is covered with a lumpy, loose, but not sprayed layer of heated soil, ensuring sufficient air access to the seeds. The intensity and precision of crumbling the topsoil must facilitate water absorption based on soil type and enable easy plant emergence, preventing soil from flowing and crusting. Excessively crumbled and sprayed soil may crust after rainfall, hindering emergence. Therefore, the leveled soil surface should be covered with lumps of 0.5-2.5 mm diameter to prevent coalescing during rainfall and soil crust formation. The field soil density under the seeds should be 1.4-1.5 g/cm³, corresponding to the desired soil porosity for plants. This soil structure around the seeds accelerates emergence by several days and increases the number of emerged seeds by 8-14%.
The deeper layers are also important for future emergence
During spring cultivation, maintaining the integrity of the deeper layers beneath the seeds is as crucial as the fragmentation degree of the topsoil. This soil condition, resulting from structural processes in the plowed earth, ensures optimal development during both the emergence and vegetation phases. In the germination phase, it facilitates adequate water supply to the seeds, and in later vegetation stages, it supports proper root development. Achieving this condition involves the correct selection and use of pre-sowing cultivation tools.
Incorrect selection of tillage machines and agrotechnical mistakes
The incorrect use of tools or agrotechnical errors, resulting in field unevenness, inaccurate surface copying, and ruts left by tractor and machine wheels, make soil loosening to the seed sowing depth seriously difficult or even impossible, necessitating deeper tillage. This pre-sowing cultivation method places seeds on a layer of secondarily compacted soil with impaired water absorption, delaying and unevenly emerging due to the gradual rebuilding of the capillary structure.
As many cultivation treatments as necessary
In pre-sowing cultivation technology, the principle of "as many treatments as necessary" must be adhered to. In the absence of rainfall, this principle gains additional significance. The optimal solution is to make only one pass with the pre-sowing cultivation unit just before sowing. However, this is not feasible if the field has not been leveled after fall plowing. This represents a significant and costly agrotechnical error, as leveling the field surface requires several work passes. During cultivation, the soil becomes compacted in the tractor wheel ruts. Additionally, at sowing depth, the field will exhibit varying moisture content due to the placement of relatively loose and dry soil in the furrows. In the former furrow, the soil water seepage system must be reconstructed, which may be impossible if a spring drought occurs.
The relationship between cultivation and soil moisture
On light soils, cultivation should be simplified in adverse moisture conditions. Heavy and very heavy soils are challenging to work with because optimal humidity persists briefly. Cultivating such soils, whether too dry or too wet, is difficult and detrimental to their structure. Spring cultivation of these substrates should commence early, either by dragging the field or through shallow cultivation with a cultivator, diagonally to the direction of plowing. Soil preparation for sowing involves using an aggregate with a loosening section equipped with rigid tines and a tillage roller. Entering a wet field with a fertilizer spreader causes significant soil structure damage, creating deep ruts that are hard to level and hinder plant growth. Soil cultivation should occur at humidity levels that favor soil crumbling rather than plastic deformation. For winter crops, the first spring fertilization should be performed on frozen ground.
Simplifications in cultivation most essential under drought conditions
In drought conditions, no-till farming becomes increasingly essential. These cultivation methods foster the growth of organic matter and the development of microorganisms. Consequently, they enhance soil structure by influencing rainwater infiltration and retention. The mentioned agrotechnical requirements for soil preparation prior to sowing are fundamental for a pre-sowing cultivation unit. The most stringent technical requirements for pre-sowing cultivation are posed by spot sowing, particularly for sugar beet sowing. If a pre-sowing cultivation unit meets the standards for spot sowing of sugar beets, it can also be effectively utilized for soil preparation before sowing other crops.
Choose a cultivator based on its intended use
When selecting an agricultural machine, consider the farm size and tractor power. For large farms, a substantial unit with multiple tools is recommended for efficient and effective work. Such devices enhance productivity and accuracy in regulating the soil's water-air ratio, making them ideal when applicable. Tractor engine power is a crucial factor. Additionally, consider the soil type and the specific crop. Each crop requires a tailored approach; for example, rapeseed needs shallow soil treatments while corn is sown deeper in lighter soils. Proper selection of working elements is essential for effective cultivation.
Which machines are worth using?
Pre-sowing cultivation is performed using technologically advanced agricultural machines. One such device is a multi-tasking and effective tillage unit, which reduces work time and optimizes a single pass. Importantly, these units are suitable for various soil types and can be used for different types of vegetation. This category includes Rolmako universal cultivating units: the VibroStar U 445 pre-sowing cultivator and the compact seedbed cultivator U 684, as well as disc harrow models U 693 and U 652, designed for larger farms. These pre-sowing machines, thanks to numerous tillage tools and extensive configuration options, prepare the seedbed in one pass. The U 445 unit can be combined with Cambridge-type pre-sowing rollers, while the U 684 model can be paired with a grain seeder from any manufacturer, allowing cultivation and sowing in a single pass. For small and medium-sized farms, Rolmako offers three cultivation and sowing models: the U 382 cultivation and seeding unit, the U 659 cultivation and seeding unit, and the U 693 disc harrow with a seeder coupling. Smaller farmers should opt for more universal machines that can be used for more than just pre-sowing crops.
What to consider when choosing a cultivation aggregate?
A cultivation aggregate is responsible for the proper preparation of the soil for subsequent sowing, directly impacting the quality of future crops. At Rolmako, several models of these agricultural machines are available, but attention must be paid to two critical factors: the type of soil and the plot's area. For farms with heavy soils, a robust yet versatile piece of equipment should be selected. A disc harrow or a heavy compact cultivation aggregate, which effectively loosens the soil and ensures its optimal structure, is ideal. For sandy and light soils, a tine cultivator is more suitable. Although it is not as versatile as the disc model and does not handle fields with substantial plant residue as effectively, it is very efficient for pre-sowing cultivation. Additionally, the size of the cultivated plot is a significant factor. The working width of the cultivation aggregate depends on it. On large plots, wider machines, e.g., 5, 6, 8 meters, will ensure optimal work efficiency. On smaller plots, a width of 3 to 4 meters will be sufficient.
Units Featuring a Disc Section
Disc harrows efficiently mix soil and have relatively low power requirements. They are also suitable for fields with substantial crop residues. Disc harrows are used in both traditional and simplified cultivation practices and can be employed for sowing after prior treatment with a stubble aggregate or stubble cultivator. Tillage sections are effective on heavier soil types. However, disc harrows are heavier compared to tine sets, necessitating tractors with higher power and lifting capacity. Kneading rollers are essential components of the disc section, with common variants including string, ring, and rubber. Trailed sets utilize tire rollers for support during transport.
Aggregates with a tine section
Tine section include a cultivator equipped with spring tines, a drag, and a string roller. This configuration is suitable only for pre-sowing cultivation and is particularly recommended for light and sandy soils. For heavier soils, spring tines with a thicker cross-section and a spring part reinforced with an additional spring are designed. It is important to note that in excessively wet soils, spring tines can deteriorate the soil structure and are ineffective in fields with significant crop residues. In such cases, cultivators with straight tines are advised, as their design minimizes the risk of plant residues getting lodged. However, stiff tines are less effective at loosening the soil. The cultivator's lower price and weight may also be advantageous.
Decide between a cultivator with disc sections or tines
In summary, agricultural cultivators can be equipped with disc or tine sections. Both types of machines save a lot of time in the field, but not every blade can handle the cultivation of heavier soil. Therefore, for those dealing with sandy, rocky, clayey soils, and a large amount of post-harvest residue, we recommend choosing a disc cultivator. Despite these unfavorable conditions, the serrated disc sections comprehensively loosen the soil and thoroughly crush soil clods. For farms with predominantly light soils, tine cultivators are ideal, as they are a lighter model of agricultural machinery that will have no problem preparing the soil for sowing. Moreover, they help save fuel in the tractor. Most farmers face the dilemma of whether to choose a disc or tine cultivator. The disc harrow is certainly more versatile because it handles soils with a lot of dead plants well. However, it is also much heavier, which is significant when the farmer uses an older model tractor. The tine cultivator is suitable for pre-sowing cultivation but does not have as many applications as the harrow. Many people choose to purchase both variants because they complement each other excellently. However, if we can only choose one piece of equipment, it is good to seek advice from Rolmako commercial specialists.
The cultivator is not solely for pre-sowing crops
The Rolmako U 497 universal cultivator serves as both a stubble cultivation machine and a dedicated unit for pre-sowing cultivation when needed. This 4-beam cultivator, equipped with robust SW 70x12 mm teeth (optionally ST 90x13 mm), is suitable for light, medium, and heavy soils. Its extended structure ensures high efficiency during cultivation. The versatile teeth facilitate deep soil loosening and shallow stubble cultivation, allowing the farmer to utilize the machine for various treatments. The U 497 was introduced to meet market demand for a tillage machine capable of both shallow soil preparation pre-sowing and comprehensive post-harvest stubble treatment, all with a single cultivator.
Machinery for Pre-Sowing Cultivation by Rolmako
The quality of the cultivation unit
Regardless of the type of unit selected, attention to quality is paramount. The acquisition of this machine represents a substantial investment, necessitating a choice of solid, durable, and long-lasting equipment. This ensures reliable service for many years. Additionally, consider the availability and costs of parts for tillage units, which will inevitably be required. We recommend selecting oversized and proven tillage machines from Rolmako, which employs advanced production methods and high-quality S500 and S700 structural steels, along with components from renowned suppliers. Rolmako guarantees not only high quality and longevity but also the availability of spare parts.
Summary
The transition from summer to autumn is traditionally a time for preparing for the next growing season. During this period, efforts should be focused on thoroughly preparing the soil for sowing and planning cultivation equipment in advance. Equipment planning is facilitated by a wide range of Rolmako tillage machines. The choice of agricultural unit depends on the tractor's power and the size of the sown area. Common equipment for tillage units includes passive disc or tine sections. Despite the advantages of both, the dilemma of what to connect the seeder with or which section to buy a pre-sowing unit remains unresolved. Farmers often choose both types of equipment as they complement each other. Agricultural tools in the unit must be adapted to the type of soil and the plant species sown, as crops like rapeseed, corn, and sugar beet require different soil conditions. Therefore, cultivation must be approached individually.
