Mzuri, a Worcestershire-based manufacturer of strip tillage equipment, has recently appointed George Buchan as an agent for Scotland. The appointment has been made in response to a strong grower interest in the Mzuri one pass system, following its fast-growing success in England and wider Europe.
A Scotsman with 20 years of experience in the field, George has a proven track record in agricultural machinery and parts sales which he acquired whilst working for a leading parts supplier and his local tractor dealership. Responsible for developing Mzuri’s dealer network and growing the brand in Scotland, George will also assist with machinery demonstrations and provide technical support.
Mzuri has already had a strong start to the season with a number of end user demonstrations and new dealer appointments. Commenting on the market reaction, George Buchan said: “We’ve had a great response from the very start, with farmers lining up to have the first demonstrations done on their farms. The response has been so high we literally ran out of time to complete the volume of demos needed to be done for spring work.
“We’ve appointed three dealers so far – Alan MacKay Machinery, Murphy Agricultural and TM Simpson – who are very keen to move forward with the Mzuri concept and have already proven themselves to be worthy business partners. It is a unique system with the potential to transform the future of Scottish farming and I’m really proud to be flying the Mzuri flag in Scotland.”
Mzuri, specialists in conservation tillage, have confirmed their attendance at Groundswell show and conference. Focusing on reduced cultivation practices, the event will be taking place in Hitchin, Hertfordshire on 30th June. As well as showcasing their innovative single pass drill system, Mzuri’s technical staff will be on their stand to advise visitors on best strip tillage techniques and successful soil management. Visitors will also get a chance to see the Pro-Til 3T Select – Mzuri’s trailed three metre machine in action.
Mzuri’s system is based on three key elements – selective tillage, leaving crop residue on the surface and wider row spacing – a combination of which, according to the manufacturer, allows growers to achieve the best output at a reduced cost. Mzuri’s Pro-Til Select one-pass drills cultivate a narrow strip of soil and place a band of fertiliser under the seed to aid root development. The machines award high leg clearance for maximum surface straw flow which helps to improve soil fertility, retain moisture and prevent erosion. Pro-Til Select offers unparalleled seeding depth accuracy for even germination and dual soil reconsolidation for best seed to soil contact. Additionally, the Mzuri Select series gives users a choice of 333mm and 666mm row spacings to best suit the crop – a feature that provides the plant with the optimum level of light interception. Getting the light right is essential for healthy crop development and wider spacing in some crops such as oilseed rape and maize is an important contributing factor towards higher yields.
In addition to the above mentioned features, the trailed Pro-Til Select 3T unit in demonstration will be fitted with the new ISOBUS compatible drill management system with variable seed rate function.
Also on display will be Mzuri’s Rezult straw rake which is ideal for stale seedbed preparation. Featuring extra-long 28” tines, Rezult produces a light tilth to stimulate weed germination and disturb slug habitats. Followed by a blanket application of non-selective herbicide, this creates the perfect environment for drilling.
Specialists in conservation tillage, Mzuri Ltd have announced their plans for the Cereals event. Visitors to the manufacturer’s stand 1000 will be able to see the newly updated 6 metre Pro-Til Select strip-till drill, the 4 metre trailed Pro-Til unit and the Rezult straw rake, all of which will be on show at the company’s demonstration plot.
Pro-Til Select 6T is a unique 6 metre one-pass soil cultivation system that allows users to seed in a choice of 353mm or 706mm widths in order to maximise on light penetration all the way down to the root of the crop, resulting in a healthier, bushier plant and higher yields. In addition to the variable inter-row setting, the Select series offers all the benefits associated with the standard Pro-Til machine, specifically, high leg clearance enabling it to work with large amounts of surface straw without blockages, independent ground-following leading and seeding tines to ensure a clean strip of friable soil and excellent seed depth control and reconsolidating wheels behind each tine for perfect seed to soil contact.
The Select 6T and Pro-Til 4T models on display will be fitted with the latest design spring-loaded pivoting discs which award even better straw clearance than before and a fertiliser placement option behind the leading tine. The units will also feature the new electro-hydraulic drill management system which offers full ISOBUS compatibility, variable seed rate integration and monitoring, improved hydraulic efficiencies and ease of use.
For farmers with a blackgrass or slug problem, Mzuri will be showcasing its Rezult straw rake. Incorporating five rows of extra-long 28” tines with optional leading discs to chop surface residue, the Rezult is an ideal tool for producing light tilth, disturbing the slug populations and chitting the weeds prior to chemical treatment.
Used as part of the wider soil management strategy, the Mzuri system can quickly improve soil fertility and increase worm counts, as only a narrow band of soil is tilled leaving the previous crop residue and straw on the surface and the untilled soil structure intact. Other benefits include reduced soil compaction through reduced traffic, better moisture retention and improved drainage which subsequently result in significant financial savings and improved yields.
With the growing challenges of profitable crop production, increasingly more progressive farmers are turning to the Mzuri strip tillage system to provide a sustainable solution. The Mzuri system is a conservational tillage technique where only a narrow strip of soil is cultivated to give the plant a head start whereas the remaining field remains untouched, allowing surface straw to break down naturally and retaining the moisture. This means that users can enjoy the benefits of both worlds – instant mineral availability and soil aeration typically associated with conventional inversion techniques and the soil preservation advantages attributed to zero tillage.
Not only does it aid crop establishment and improve soil structure, the Mzuri one-pass strip till system can considerably reduce cost and labour requirements. Fuel economies, lower capital investment and reduced maintenance costs ensure quick machine payback and return on investment. The system works with Nature utilising its natural resource – surface straw – turning trash into cash. Rather than being removed, previous crop residue and chaff are left in between the tilled strips and gradually recycled into valuable organic matter by earthworms. Uncultivated soil also benefits from improved structure, drainage and oxygen movement which ultimately contributes towards better nutrient uptake and increased yields. As well as making business sense, the Mzuri system is better for the environment: it can cut fertiliser by half as it is only placed where required, produce a healthier, more disease resistant crop and significantly lower carbon emissions.
How does it work?
A direct result of extensive research and development, Mzuri offers the Pro-Til range of strip till drills which prepare the soil and establish the crop in a single pass. For users looking to create a stale seedbed prior to drilling, the company also manufactures the Rezult straw rake.
Available in three, four and six metre working widths, the Pro-Til features a unique spring-loaded pivoting disc at the front which opens up the soil with minimum soil disturbance. The disc is followed by an auto-reset tine to gently cultivate the soil where a band of fertiliser can also be placed. Next, staggered wheels reconsolidate the tilled area, followed by ground-following coulter arms for perfect seed placement. The soil is once again reconsolidated by a press wheel for perfect seed to soil contact and levelled off by spring-loaded harrowing tines for an even soil finish.
The Pro-Til is now offered in the Select version which gives users a choice of 330mm or 660mm band spacings to suit the type of crop and to capitalise on light interception – a unique feature that allows to produce a healthier and stronger crop.
Points to consider when switching to strip tillage
There are a number of points to be considered in order to get the most out of strip tillage and the Mzuri equipment. Whilst the negative results of conventional cultivation such as poor soil structure, compaction, capping and waterlogging may take a little patience to reverse, here are a few tips that will get you underway towards the best results.
1. Correct strip tillage technique starts with the combine. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” an old maxim which is also true for strip tillage. Good practice starts with preparing the perfect “canvas” to drill into and this means ensuring the field is “striptill-ready” at harvesting. Mzuri recommend the optimum stubble height of 150-250mm to ensure it flows well through the Pro-Til. An even distribution of chopped straw and chaff is also desirable as uniform mulching around the field will be paramount for ensuring good moisture retention and availability of material for earthworms to turn into nutrients.
2. To chit or not to chit? Although the Pro-Til can drill directly into surface straw in a one pass operation awarding excellent trash clearance, some farmers may prefer to create a stale seedbed prior to strip till drilling. This is particularly pertinent for farms with a blackgrass or slug problem or for users who wish to accelerate straw decomposition. Mzuri’s solution for this is the Rezult straw rake. It features a five-row tine harrow with the option to fit a set of leading discs. The result is a nice, light tilth creating the perfect stale seedbed.
3. Get the light right. Good light interception from early growth stages is key to strong plant structure and high yields. The stubble height of 150-250mm is ample enough to shield the crop from cold temperatures and winds yet short enough to ensure the plants get sufficient light. If left too long, the straw can fall onto the crop thus contaminating it and shielding it from precious sunlight. This can result in long and lanky plants and a crop that is more prone to disease.
4. Leave the surface straw… on the surface.Ideally, the crop residue should not be baled or taken away but left on the field. Let’s take a leaf out of Nature’s book who leaves last year’s growth to decompose naturally and turns it into valuable organic matter, thus vastly improving soil fertility and worm count. Not only that, the straw thatching acts as the perfect mulch and conserves moisture which would normally be lost through evaporation. It also prevents water and wind erosion.
5. Give the seed the best start. The secret to fast and successful seed germination is good seed to soil contact for instant availability of nutrients and moisture, soil reconsolidation to eliminate the air pockets and friable, fertile tilth to give the seed the best start. This is what the Mzuri Pro-Til does exceptionally well thanks to its combination of unique, patented features. The auto-reset tines produce the perfect tilth with the option of placing a band of fertiliser just where it is needed, followed by the reconsolidating wheel. The coulter tool bar works totally independently to the cultivation zone, ensuring easy adjustment and constant seed depth control. Each coulter hydraulically exerts pressure to each of the seed depth wheels to ensure accurate seed placement and excellent soil to seed contact. As a result, the crop can get away quickly and grow to achieve its full potential.
6. Understand your soil. One size does not fit all and so you should look to tailor the equipment to best suit your specific conditions. Mzuri offers a range of front leg options to easily adapt to any type of soil, including a choice of front discs and ripper leg configurations. The optional front leading discs cut through surface residue and help to create a tilth with minimum soil disturbance. The choice of the cultivation leg and wing tips control the tilth depth and profile. Wider wings are typically fitted for work in hard, sandy ground whereas narrow wings are best suited for peaty soil with high organic matter. Poorer, nutrient depleted soil can at this point be given a granular fertiliser boost.
7. Select the correct seeding coulter. Not only a host of options to tailor the soil, Mzuri offers a range of seeding coulters to suit the crop too. Wide band seeding is recommended for wheat and barley whereas narrow band seeding would be better suited for oilseed rape and beans.
8. The choice of wheels is also important to ensure the right amount of pressure is exerted. The Pro-Til can be supplied with a wide or narrow wheel profile to match the coulter and soil type. Dry soil conditions need slightly more pressure to ensure better seed to soil contact whereas drilling in wetter soils requires a lighter approach in order not to cap the soil.
9. The final touch. Pro-Til is supplied with a harrow bar which produces the perfect smooth finish for better coverage of pre-emergence herbicides. Other users prefer to keep the tilth profile untouched in order to create a microclimate which is 2-3°C warmer in the ridges – a practice which is particularly popular in colder climates with freezing winters. The slightly raised contours of the ground coupled with the surface straw each side of the crop row provide shelter from wind damage and the sub-zero temperatures. The practice ensures viable crop where conventionally drilled crop would often fail in the same conditions.
10. Rotation, rotation, rotation. At Mzuri, we promote a minimum 4-year rotation to increase crop health. The changing of crops in a sequence reduces their resistance to chemical, builds up plant resilience against disease and helps to combat persistent weeds.
Whilst strip tillage does not provide an instant solution, the benefits of the Mzuri system are apparent in as little as one year, with users consistently reporting visually improved soil structure, higher worm counts, improved yield per hectare and significant bottom line savings. It has to be noted that strip tillage is not just another drilling method but a crop management technique that calls for synchronicity with one’s land, understanding of its condition and the ability to respond to its needs. Armed with this knowledge, growers can only expect to see continued improvement with each year as the natural cycle is put into full swing. Finally, it seems, we have arrived at profitable farming without it actually costing the earth.