HORSCH unveils new 40-foot model in Joker Series

Jun 16, 2016

Helps farmers with seedbed preparation and residue management

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

HORSCH Manufacturing has unveiled a new, 40-foot-wide version of its RT Joker tillage equipment.

The new model incorporates a five-section design, and adjustable down pressure to adapt to uneven ground that can evenly distribute the weight and result in precise tillage.

“Our engineering team has done an amazing job to develop a 40-foot Joker that maintains the same proven agronomic principles of our current Joker RT models and have it in narrow transport width,” said Jeremy Hughes, product manager at HORSCH LLC. “The new five-fold design gives customers a wider working width along with terrain following attributes without sacrificing any performance. That’s something competitive 40-foot units can’t say.”

The machine uses 20-inch notched blades that are set on a 17 degree angle which can allow farmers to get optimum soil engagement and mixing.

Two blades mounted per arm help maintain precision angles, giving producers even tilth and consistent residue sizing.

HORSCH’s RollFlex Finishing System helps consolidate the soil to speedup residue decomposition.

The unit requires a tractor horsepower of 500 or more to operate and can be folded to a width of 15 feet, 8 inches for easy transport.

Video: LALEXPERT: Sclerotinia cycle and prophylactic methods

White rot, also known as sclerotinia, is a common agricultural fungal disease caused by various virulent species of Sclerotinia. It initially affects the root system (mycelium) before spreading to the aerial parts through the dissemination of spores.

Sclerotinia is undoubtedly a disease of major economic importance, and very damaging in the event of a heavy attack.

All these attacks come from the primary inoculum stored in the soil: sclerotia. These forms of resistance can survive in the soil for over 10 years, maintaining constant contamination of susceptible host crops, causing symptoms on the crop and replenishing the soil inoculum with new sclerotia.