Advantage

Tillso’s Advantage uses a narrow wavy disc that runs straight and vertical, making grooves across the field at or above seeding depth (30mm).

Vertical tillage tools can be instrumental in dealing with crop residue, creating tilth, and breaking up surface compaction whilst leaving a firm surface, without burying weed seeds. They weaken hard crust, allowing moisture to penetrate in dry conditions, and create  air movement in the top layer in damp conditions. The daily wetting and drying of the soil surface creates soil fissures which promote healthy root development.

The toolbar can be configured to suit different systems and conditions.

High Crop Residue and Cover Crops: With discs running directly in front of each Ultralite tine (450mm centres), the Advantage will cut through high trash conditions to stop it hanging around the leg, such as working after cover crops.

No-Till Drill: Set to run at 450mm centres in between each Ultralite tine to break up surface compaction and create tilth, leaving a firm seedbed suitable for a No-till drill.

Cultivator Drill: Set at 225mm centres between the Ultralite tines to break up surface compaction and create more tilth with a finish suitable for a conventional disc or tine cultivator drills.

Sabre Tines break up compacted layers in soil with a precise, targeted restructuring action. They create vertical fissures and columns in the soil which support traffic, unlike more aggressive tines which leave soil vulnerable to re-compacting back to the original state or worse.

Maximum Soil Restructuring

• Soil is moved across the full profile width, no compacted ridges left between the tines
• Precise and permanent loosening action
• Even soil density throughout main rooting zone promotes healthy root development
• Water, nutrients and air filter through soil, organic matter is preserved, promoting increase in worm and Mycorrhizal activity
• Excess water drains easily, minimising risk of run-off and  loss of nutrients, soil particles and herbicides

Minimum Surface Disturbance

• Weeds seeds and fine surface particles kept on surface
• Can subsoil establishing crops
• Subsequent cultivations can often be reduced
• Enables even consolidation
• Effective OSR establishment
• Surface ready for direct drilling

Ben Atkinson, J. E. Atkinson & Son, Lincolnshire

January 2014

“With no new chemistry in the armoury for blackgrass control we must look towards cultural control techniques. Failure to realise this will almost inevitably lead to resistant blackgrass problems which can be a real threat to yields and ultimately crop viability. The three main cultural control techniques are rotational choice, delayed drilling, and the use of stale seed beds in conjunction with total herbicides. My main reason for purchasing a Tillso Rake & Roll was to improve the consistency of blackgrass kills in a stale seed bed situation. The Rake & Roll spreads trash, and gives the blackgrass seeds excellent seed to soil contact which encourages a quick and even establishment of blackgrass plants. Perfect for control with pesticides such as Glyphosate. In an ideal season it is possible to get two or three flushes of blackgrass and ultimately kills through a repeated use strategy. I am also convinced that the physical action of the tines break up and destroys slug egg clusters and ultimately reduces slug populations. The roll part of the Rake & Roll not only plays a major part in encouraging blackgrass chits through consolidation of the soil in a stale seed bed situation, but it is also a very effective alternative to a Cambridge Rolls as part of a post drilling operation. The flexible nature of the rubber allows the machine to go further in damper conditions. The fast forward speed capabilities of the machine allows for a high output. “

Diamond Rollers are Tillso’s steel packer rollers with a unique design shape which aids self-cleaning and improves strength. The hardened shaped edge cuts and crushes clod and the soil is consolidated by sideways movement. Diamond ring centres are matched to the tine spacings on the Advantage machine. Replaceable inset stub axles minimise dirt ingress and allow for good sized bearings to be set into the roller so adjacent rollers on folding machines can roll consistently across the full width.

As an option, the Advantage can also be fitted with the Flexi-Till roller which delivers good surface consolidation and runs longer in damper conditions.

The Opti-Opener delivers OSR seed placement at a precise depth, with good seed to soil contact. The depth of the seed is controlled by adjusting the relationship of the press wheel to the  opener point, and the latest model comes with spring tension adjustment and a cam adjustment press wheel. The tine sweeps trash away from the seeding zone and the wing leaves a level base. Soil flows over the wing to cover the seed. The opener tracks directly behind the Ultralite tine at 450mm tine centres and the seed is placed into fully restructured soil. There is the option for liquid fertiliser placement in the centre of the seeding zone, where the seed is placed either side. This is achieved with minimum surface disturbance to aid effective grass weed control, as a one pass operation.

The Opti-opener is also used for establishing cover crops and Beans using a double-pipe seed chute.

Features: Contour following – Spring loaded – Depth control on press wheel – Liquid fertiliser placement – Point/Wing assembly easily replaced