Commercial versions of patented SEEDBED CONDITIONERS™
Commercial SEEDBED CONDITIONER™ for dryland farming
Commercial BEDFORMER CONDITIONER™ for irrigated and waterlogged land
These patented machines have been specially designed to loosen soil without inverting it or disturbing root systems. They operate at depths of 200 mm to 300 mm, with best results achieved from depths close to 300 mm.
They have been proven to:
- deepen the rooting zone and increase root growth by > 30 % ;
- optimise soil physical properties of air, water, and temperature movement,
- increase soil biology populations;
- increase crop yields by 25%, on average.
They are unique. No other machines in the world have these capabilities.
- The Seedbed Conditioner™ (SC) is made for flat seedbeds, on rainfed and irrigation land.
- The Bedformer Conditioner™ (BC) is made for bed-farming, on irrigated and rainfed land.
Both the SC and BC machines can be operated in-tandem with seeders. They have very little HP requirement. The prototype shown above was operated with ease at 8 kph with a John Deere 7700 tractor rated at 110 kW or 148 HP.
Field measurements of the resistance forces on a 13 m wide SC machine and a 13 m wide, 52 row one-pass seeder showed the SC machine required > 50 % LESS HP !!
Furthermore, when seeders operate in freshly SC-loosened soil, the HP required is reduced by about 75%.
The design and strength of the machines’ frames are of first class quality and durability, and their widths, tool spacing and accessories can be customised to suit individual preferences. All soil engaging edges are fitted with the hardest available steel (Hardox 500) and all pivots are fitted with hardened chrome pins and oil-infused bushes.
Hydraulic single-fold and double-fold frame options are available.
Tow hitches can be varied to suit all tractors and seeders.
The recommended tool spacing is 800 mm, but this can be varied to suit farmer preferences.
Both machines have:
- 600 mm diameter, 50 mm amplitude Wavy Coulters in front of shanks that hold horizontal wings. These coulters SLICE through roots and loosen soil in front of the shanks, reducing draft and eliminating all soil shattering and inversion; and
- Wide Horizontal Wings that SLICE through soil and roots at 200 – 300 mm depth across the FULL WIDTH of the seedbed with the smallest possible friction and adhesion (i.e., HP, or draft) and LIFT, OPEN and DROP undisturbed and enlarged root systems and un-inverted, aerated soil, with zero exposure of roots and soil biology. The recommended span of these wings is 750 mm, but this can be varied.
A SC™ machine renovating a deepened seedbed prior to seeding. Note the root systems are left undisturbed.
A SC™ machine attached to the front of a seeder, renovating the seedbed and seeding in the one operation.
BC™ renovation in WA wheatbelt. Stubble undisturbed. Consolidation small in un-renovated beds on RHS.
BC™ renovating beds in WA wheatbelt. Coulters loosen soil in front of shanks, & wing blades lift, open & drop soil & roots without inversion, with very little draft.
BC™ Smart furrower lifting and separating soil with no inversion and very little draft, in central Pakistan
The BC™ machine has, in addition:
- Smart Furrowers that lift and separate soil without inversion and with near-zero draft, plus the capability of varying furrow widths by easily replacing the side-plates with others of a different length; plus
- Crumble Rollers that can be easily adjusted to operate either parallel to, or at a 30 degree angle to the rear bar of the machine. These ride on the soil surface and gently break soil crusts and/or spread spoil from furrow excavation toward the centre of beds.
Required Soil Conditions
SC™ and BC™ machines are NOT primary tillage implements. They are designed to operate in soil that has been pre-ripped twice to a depth of about 300 mm. The second ripping is offset half the ripper spacing of the first to loosen the undisturbed soil left between the tines from the first ripper pass. This initial working can also be done with a chisel plough with wide sweeps, if soils are moist.
The purpose of the two ripping operations is to allow the SC™/BC™ to lift and loosen 100 % of the length and breadth of a field’s soil to a depth of 200 – 300 mm.
The enlarged root systems that grow in SC™ and BC™ seedbeds form a reinforcing mesh that minimises soil reconsolidation and ensures easy trafficability across a wide range of soil moisture conditions.
Seasonal reconsolidation of deep seedbeds was always < 25 % of the extra porosity (even in irrigated and very wet dryland beds), and this ensured all renovations of SC™/BC™ seedbeds done prior to or at the same time as seeding were low-draft operations.
SC’d and BC’d fields will NEVER AGAIN need to be RIPPED or
worked with TINED machines to loosen compact soil.
Profile of ripped soil showing > 50 % of subsoil is NOT loosened with one ripper pass.
Maize roots between rip lines showing no benefit from the ripping
Ripping pattern of 1st and 2nd passes to remove undisturbed soil between 1st pass rip lines.
Availability
MSWP Pty Ltd has a list of preferred manufacturers. Contact Greg (mobile no. below) to access this list or seek a position on it.
Preferred manufacturers are provided with professional construction plans, and offered assistance with the machines’ promotion and marketing.
Farmers are urged to buy and use these machines. SC™ and BC™ benefits are large, assured and urgently needed in a time of climate change, AND they will be gained by ALL cropping systems on ALL soil types.