For decades, increasing yields have been ensured by using chemical crop protection However, with increasing use, the resistance of harmful organisms also increases, meaning that the effectiveness of plant protection products is stagnating. Fewer permits are being issued for plant protection products with new active ingredients.
Furthermore, consumer acceptance of chemical pesticides is declining, and new health and environmental goals require a sharp reduction in their usage.
PÖTTINGER accepts these challenges and now includes mechanical crop care machines in its product range for sustainable, crop-specific and site-specific plant protection.
A key objective of mechanical crop care is to promote the growth of the crop. To achieve this, competition from weeds and grasses must be kept to a minimum. A high density of weeds cause:
Reduction in yield, or even a failed crop
Contaminated crop or seed
Difficult, cost-intensive harvesting conditions
By using our crop care machines, it is possible to avoid higher production and follow-up costs.
Successful mechanical weed control depends on several factors. The crop, weeds, soil, weather, and the equipment parameters all play an important role.
A healthy and vital crop depends on the most suitable sowing time, the quality of the seed and the best seed drill technology for the plant. The intensity and timing of the crop care depend largely on how far the crop has developed.
The type of weeds and their propagation determine the choice of the right crop care machine. The settings of the weeding tools must be adapted to the type and size of weeds.
Mechanical crop care machines need to be set up to perfectly match the location-specific conditions.
The soil conditions include soil type, soil state and soil moisture. This influences the intensity and timing of the crop care measures. The quantity of stones in the soil and preceding tillage passes determine the tool settings.
The time frame must also be adapted to parameters that cannot be changed. This includes weather conditions such as ambient temperature, soil temperature, precipitation, direct sunlight and wind.