Rethink mechanical weed control

Rethink mechanical weed Control

Mechanical weed control is experiencing a revival throughout Europe as the use of chemicals is on the decline. In this scenario, new techniques prove beneficial as they are applied alongside the traditional methods of hoeing and harrowing. At Agritechnica 2019, Zürn Harvesting in collaboration with French inventor Romain Bouillé unveiled the TOP CUT COLLECT weed harvester that cuts the tops of tall growing weeds above the canopy of the standing crop and then collects the weed seeds in a bin.

Now, the specialist manufacturer of headers and field research technology, Zürn Harvesting adds the new TOP CUT to its mechanical weed control portfolio. Unlike its bigger sibling, the new TOP CUT has no running gear and no hopper to collect the weeds after cutting. Instead, the unit consists of a helical reel and a cutterbar with double sections that is attached in the front-end loader.

After the TOP CUT is set to the correct height, the unit cuts tall growing weeds such as fat hen (white goosefoot) or thistle in stands of soya or oilseed rape in order to reduce competition in the field. As Top Cut doesn’t actually remove the inflorescence from the field, it is important that the cutting pass is carried out at an early date to reduce the risk of infestation.

Insect-friendly weed control

The robust weed cutter is a combination of a cutterbar, double sections and a reel that ensures precise cuts and and a controlled material feed to the sections. The reel is an essential part, because it prevents the material from building up on the cutterbar causing blockages. This has been confirmed in years of trialling the TOP CUT COLLECT in all of Europe.

As the reel touches the stem before the cutterbar makes the cut insects have the chance to escape. This was not observed on systems that lack a reel and neither on systems with freely rotating blades.

The TOP CUT is 6 metres wide and is powered by the tractor hydraulics. It attaches to the Euro carriage which is quick, safe and reliable. A pendulum frame allows the unit to hover perfectly above the stand contours. At the end of the job, the TOP CUT is stored on a customised header transporter for safe transport on public roads.