Field rollers
After harrowing the soil, it is recommended to use rollers for further processing. Field rollers play an important role by destroying large piles of earth, eliminating the crust that forms due to excess evaporation of moisture, as well as fluffing and compacting the soil, which helps level the field surface. In fields with winter crops, they are also used to destroy the ice crust, which interferes with the normal development of plants. Distributing plants on a flat surface promotes better germination and simultaneous germination, which ultimately improves the quality of the harvest.
There are several types of soil tillage rollers:
- Toothed ring rollers,
- Spur rollers,
- Water rollers,
- Chopper rollers
- Ring-spur rollers.
What do you need to know before buying rollers?
Before purchasing rollers, it is important to decide on the type and their main functions. Water-filling rollers, which are a hollow metal drum, are used to compact the soil before sowing or after sowing small-seeded crops, as well as for rolling green fertilizers. They have a major impact on the upper layers of the soil.
Ring rollers are recommended for use when growing sugar beets, corn, vegetables and small-seeded crops. They can be ring-spur or ring-tooth, compacting the lower layers of soil and fluffing up the upper ones.
Depending on the power of the tractor, one-, two-, or more sectional rollers are used. Three-section rollers are most suitable for working on uneven fields. The depth of processing depends on the weight of the roller, which can be adjusted by pouring water into the sections, as, for example, in water-filled rollers. Ring rollers are usually used at deeper levels, which promotes rapid emergence, reduces soil blow-off and the risk of crusting.
For what purpose are rollers used?
- Increasing soil capillarity
- Improving moisture access to seeds
- Acceleration of germination
- Prevents soil subsidence with uniform seeding,
- Reducing evaporation due to lack of natural moisture
- Preparation of soil for winter crops
- Improved field topography.
It is not recommended to use rollers on very wet or clay soils to avoid excessive compaction and damage to the seeds.