Tilling the vineyard with the inter-row machine: short operating guide

Tilling the vineyard with the inter-row machine allows to replace or integrate the chemical control of the soil. This strategy therefore complies with environmental sustainability standards, enriching the biodiversity of the ecosystem that is generated in the vineyard.

Chemical control, for example carried out with the use of herbicides, promotes the biological selection process, making resistant weeds prevail in the long run. This would render the treatment itself ineffective.

Benefits of under-row processing with inter-row plough

The integration ofunder-row  processing for mechanical control with agricultural inter-row respects the microfauna and flora that populate the vineyard, with positive repercussions also on the size and quality of the fruits, due to a greater presence of nutrients.

An inter-row machine gives also advantages because it allows you to carry out at least 4 activities: soil preparation, pest control, weeding, suckering and plant mulching.

The 10 guiding principles for tilling the vineyard with the inter-row plough

To till the vineyard with the inter-row plough, it is advisable to observe some precautions. On the one hand, they will optimise the work and reduce the timing and on the other they will have a positive impact on the vineyard itself.

Below, therefore, are ten guiding principles for effective tilling with the inter-row plough:

1. In the vineyard, it is good to intervene when the grass develops about 10 - 15 cm, intervening on the growth of weeds and taking care of the maintenance of the grasses underneath the row. If the grass is too high, it could hinder the passage of the inter-row machine, causing slowdowns and jams when working;
2. It is ideal to work on the soil in a tempered state (with the right degree of humidity), favouring the passage of the machine but also the absorption of nutrients by the vines. The tempering state depends on the quality and composition of the soil;
3. In order not to deplete the ground and maximise the benefits of mechanical machining with inter-row machine, it is advisable to alternate the various tools applicable to the machinery and vary the tilling systems;
4. If it is a new system, it is better to design it for inter-row tilling: a good practice is to distance and align the rows to facilitate the passage of the plough;
5. The vines in the development phase are not yet protected by a strong wooden layer, therefore, any stones or debris thrown with the passage of the inter-row machine, could “hurt” the shafts, with the risk of developing fungal or bacterial infections. The newborn plants, therefore, should be specially protected, as well as the grafting points, which are very fragile sites for the vine;
6. The care of already grown plants is also appropriate, especially by regulating the straight growth of the stems and protecting the fruiting branches;
7. If irrigation systems are present, or if they must be positioned from scratch, then it will be better to ensure that they do not interfere with the passage of the inter-row machine, preferring a strategic placement instead;
8. Again, in order to protect younger plants, grafting points and fruiting branches, it is advisable to install a containment blade capable of stopping the spreading of stones and debris on the inter-row machine;
9. It is equally important to choose the agricultural inter-row machine of the appropriate width for the vineyard;
10. The last suggestion is to position the head to which the tools are to be applied near the tractor and make sure that the tools are always mounted correctly: preparing the plough carefully before working prevents accidents potentially harmful to the vines, as well as wasting time.

The advantages of Sicma agricultural inter-row machine

The Sicma inter-row operating machine has a tool-carrier frame that is available in different sizes and widths: the choice depends, as mentioned, on the distance between the rows of the vineyard. In addition, the frame can be mounted both front and rear of the tractor not only for greater operational convenience, but also to allow combined tilling.

The tools used to carry out soil tillage, weed control, suckering and mulching are applied to the tool-carrier frame.

The inter-row machine can have the following configurations:

• Inter-row Machine with Hydraulically Driven Discs
• Inter-row Machine with Power Harrow and Blade
• Inter-row Machine with Rotating Power Harrow
• Inter-row Machine with Blade
• Inter-row Machine with Sucker Remover
• Inter-row Machine with Finger Hoe

Inter-row machine tools and their combination

The Sicma agricultural inter-row machine has a range of tools available for each type of activity, as described below:

• Tools for soil tillage
• Discs (neutral convex, motorised convex, smooth convex, toothed convex, single, double or triple ridger star plates)
• Dozer anchor
• Three-blade rotating harrow
• Tools for weed control
• Rotating finger weeder
• Inter-row hydraulic disc
• Refining fin blade
• Tools for suckering
• 4-row motorised sucker remover with smooth whips
• Tools for mulching
• Sucker remover
• Inter-row hydraulic disc
• Blade

These tools can be combined and applied to the frame to make work more efficient and save time. Possible combinations are described in the following table:

The combinations must take into account the terrain and the arrangement of the rows, as well as the advancing speed. Motorised machines, for example, operate optimally in a range of 2-5 km/h; disc harrows and anchors, instead, between 4 and 7 km/h; weeding and mowing machines can proceed at 4 - 12 km/h. In principle, the suggested practice is to combine tools that require a similar speed.

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