The IHSD hard at work.
With harvest just around the corner, local machinery dealer O’Connors is encouraging growers to review the options when it comes to harvest weed seed control. The tactic is becoming a vital component in broader weed management programs and growers now have a range of strategies at their disposal. Each of these strategies has its own benefits in pre-emptively managing weed seeds, depending on individual farming systems, locations and scale.
According to O’Connors’ Tom Sheridan the issue is already becoming a concern for their customers.
“We’re always looking into future developments and products to assist all farmers in their operations, and right now we’re hearing that weed seed management is front of mind for many broad acre farmers,” said Tom, who says they offer three key solutions.
Installed neatly into the combine, O’Connors’ premium offering, the Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD), uses mill technology to fully destroy the harvested seed by up to 99%. It also operates without any loss of stubble or nutrients to the paddock.
Slightly more cost effective, and almost as efficient, the EMAR Chaff Deck captures up to 95% of weed seed trash. The installed deck then funnels all trash into the wheel track where seeds either decompose in amongst chaff over time, or germinate and be subsequently controlled by spraying of the wheel tracks.
Finally, the O’Connors Engineering Chaff Line Chute is an accessible entry level tool with baffle design to maximise weed seed catchment off sieves. Similar to the EMAR Chaff Deck, the O’Connors Engineering Chaff Line Chute places seed in a row for collection along the wheel tracks for easy management.
The above weed seed management systems are all available at O’Connors. For more information or to speak to your local dealership visit www.oconnors.com.au.