One of the major objections to mechanical weed control, is that of working width, or lack thereof – a problem that is being addressed by Lemken with the introduction of its latest weeder harrow, the Thulit MF/1200.
As the name suggests, the harrow comes with a working width of 12m, or 12.2m to be precise – the same width as the first tramlines way back in the 1970s.
The new model is based on the principles of the Thulit MF product series launched last year. The design, which has four bars and eight rows of harrow tines with hydraulic tine pressure adjustment, is said to be unique on the market.
Light touch harrow
The tine pressure can be continuously adjusted from 100g to 5,000g across the entire width during travel and remains constant at every setting, which, according to Lemken optimises its performance to produce reliable work results.
This latest weeder comprises five harrow sections allowing various folding options for different applications, such as working with a reduced width to avoid overlapping, it does this by folding into four or three working sections.
For greater ground clearance at the headland, the implement can be folded into a V position. by the outer folding segments being angled slightly upwards to prevent the tines from coming into contact with the ground.
When in transport mode, the harrow can be folded in on both sides to a transport height of 3.3m, with the automatic transport locking system meaning that no manual intervention is required to ensure safety on the roads.
Rigid frame
The frame design, which uses torsion-resistant support profiles, has six support wheels at the front to aid the smooth running of the machine, and so aids in the guidance of the harrow tines at the soil surface.
Additionally, the Thulit MF/1200 can be operated as a rigid implement or with ground contour adjustment.
Full scale production of this new model will start in March 2025 although there are a few already built and available now.