One-pass soil structuring turns heads
Growers tune-in to learn about the Gregoire Besson ‘Discordon One-Pass Finisher’, which comprises two rows each of independent tines and notched or smooth discs, plus a following packer, and has attracted early sales.
Deep ripping, discing to aid mulching, incorporating lime and gypsum, and turning over soils to assist weed control – these have all become common farming practices and machines are now popping up on the landscape that can do everything in the one pass.
Waringa Distribution WA Product Support Manager Mike Christey said discing often occurred after deep ripping, but it was no longer required.
Business Development Manager Geoff Anderson, based at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, said in cotton areas, growers had to mulch previous crops and reconsolidate for the next planting.
“They have typically used a deep ripper and come back with machines like speed tillers,” Geoff said.
Waringa Distribution has introduced the Gregoire Besson ‘Discordon One-Pass Finisher’ to Australian growers and it has not taken long to turn heads.
Renowned for its robust plough designs and particularly for its mouldboard plough, Gregoire Besson’s Discordon machine comprises two rows each of independent tines and notched or smooth discs, plus a following packer.
It features a parallelogram setup, and, compared with other similar machines, the tyne and disc frames are completely independent, allowing the disc and tyne depths to be adjusted separately – and also on-the-go with the packing pressure.
“The ability to adjust the depth of the tynes on-the-go is a key feature with the Discordon, which means you can continually cultivate with the discs if required,” Geoff said.
Mike said as a result, growers also never had to take the machine out of the ground.
“They can lift the rippers out and the discs will always be in the ground,” Mike said.
The Gregoire Besson ‘Discordon One-Pass Finisher’ in action during demonstrations to growers.
He said Gregoire Besson demonstrations in WA last season at Bindi Bindi with local dealer, McIntosh & Son, as well near Albany, had sparked sales to growers near Geraldton, on the South Coast and into the Lakes region.
The demonstrations also featured the manufacturer’s Occitan shallow stubble cultivator and Normandie speed tiller, and they will continue throughout this year.
“We have completed ‘demos’ throughout the wheatbelt and further events are being held near Esperance in the coming weeks,” Mike said.
In eastern Australia, a demonstration was held near Wagga Wagga late last year and further events are being targeted for the Moree area in Northern NSW, as well as into Victoria.
“Everyone wants to use the Discordon for different things and on different soil types,” Mike said.
“It rips to 440 millimetres, and the ripping and incorporation of lime at the same time is a big benefit. Another added benefit of the Discordon is the tyne setup. You can run a straight point or add wings to the legs to break hard pans.
“Growers are getting discing, ripping and packing, so it’s three things in the one pass and they are not needing to come back with other machines. The packer leaves a very good seedbed and this is proving to be attractive.”
Geoff said from the Riverina and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, through the Central West area and up into NSW and Queensland, growers had been keen to “put some steel back into the ground again and turn soils, as well as break hard pans”.
It has become a focus for winter cropping and pasture production operations, as well as for cotton growers and other crops like corn.
“Broadacre growers are looking at targeted areas like heavier and tighter ground, and where limes and gypsums are not fully mixing and getting into the profile” Geoff said.
“The Discordon also has a transport width of only 3.5 metres and is kitted-out with road lights and a beacon as standard, so it’s easy to get down the road.”
Mike said the angle of the machine’s front and rear discs was easy to change manually and the rollers on the rear packer can be changed to suit different country.
“The 900 cage roller suits most soil types. It has a large rolling radius and leaves a very level finish. It floats across soils and the weight of the machine on it results in a good pack. However, there are also other packer roller options available in the form of ring packers for heavier and cloddy soils.”
He said there were various tractor and sprayer bog and track marks evident from wetter areas last season and the Discordon would provide the opportunity to reset paddocks and effectively pack them to prevent wind blow.
“Providing flexibility for multiple uses means the Discordon is a really versatile tool.”
For further information on Gregoire Besson Discordon, view the Gregoire Besson range here. To organise a demo, growers can contact their nearest McIntosh & Son branch below.