Develop and assess adaptability of different row spacings for harvester fronts : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project final report

Abstract

Cutting different row widths is a piece of cake this season for a Home Hill cane harvester contractor. This project allowed an easy change of harvester front’s widths by the pull of a lever from 1.52m to 1.83m rows, which eliminates the headache of cutting different row spacing on the farms in this group. A change to BSES spirals were also a part of this project - this in conjunction with hydraulically adjustable rams created a robust and easy to operate system to meet all the requirements of the project. The outcome has paved the way to improve adoption of a new farming system, which incorporates minimum tillage, controlled traffic, 1.83m row spacing and reduced inputs to maximize the triple bottom line.