Soil science
How tyre choice can protect soils
this autumn • Compaction demands better management • Correct pressure increasingly important • New generation tyres help considerably
ncreasingly variable weath- er conditions are highlighting the importance of managing tyres correctly to minimise soil damage and compaction. Unprecedented wet weather last winter and into spring illus- trated how the right tyre choice and management could minimise damage caused to soils by agricul- tural machinery – while enabling operators to obtain optimum per- formance. “With most fi elds at or close to maximum water-holding capaci- ty for several months, many lost considerable structure and the hot summer means we now have ex- tremely dry conditions to contend with,” says Mitas UK technical manager Kirk Walker (pictured). Using the correct tyre pressure for the job can do much to mini- mise risks. But maintaining trac- tion performance whist running tyres at the lower pressures need- ed to protect soil structure is not
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easy, explains Mr Walker. “The relationship between ground pressure and tyre infl a- tion pressure is approximately one-to-one, so select a tyre which will operate at the lowest pressure for a given load and speed. “This will maximise the area in contact with the ground and help to keep the machine on top of the soil, avoiding ruts which cause op- erational issues and must be re- moved later.
Wear and tear
“Setting tyre pressures correctly can also minimise wheel slip, re- duce fuel consumption by up to 20%, increase work rates, reduce wear-and-tear on machinery, im- prove operator comfort and sig- nifi cantly cut maintenance costs.” But many operators place han- dling and ride on the road above soil protection, and not all will reduce pressures in the fi eld to match conditions, he points out. “Most tractors operate at 15– 25% slippage to maximise trac- tion, but there’s room to reduce this without losing performance, if we can lower tyre pressures fur- ther.
“In diffi cult conditions, consid- er reducing the load on the trac- tor to allow lower tyre pressures, while remaining within manufac- turer’s guidelines.
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Many growers are thinking diff erently about how they manage soils
“That could mean dropping a furrow off the plough or only par- tially fi lling a linkage-mount- ed or trailed sprayer or fertiliser spreader.” On the road, higher pressures
will be required and adjusting them to the correct levels will im- prove steering accuracy, braking performance and stability, con- tributing to safer operation and avoiding overheating the tyre, he points out.
“Correctly-adjusted tyres will also provide lower rolling resist- ance and fuel consumption, wear evenly and last longer.”
Next generation solution New-generation High Flexion VF tyres provide lower ground pres- sure, better traction and can run high road speeds at lower pres- sures, Mr Walker points out. “Their sidewalls are designed to deform much more than con-
ventional tyres without structur- al damage to the carcase and they look very different to standard fi t- ments in operation because their considerably lower pressures can increase the footprint by 25%. “As well as treading more gen-
tly, improving traction and reduc- ing fuel consumption a well set up VF system is considerably more practical. “You can plough in the morn-
ing, then haul a trailer in the af- ternoon without having to adjust anything, making them the per- fect choice for most farmers and contractors.”
Mitas is continually innovating and collaborates closely with ma- chinery manufacturers. Working with Claas, for example, Mitas has developed the CHO (Cyclic Har- vest Operation) SVT tyre, he adds. “This has a sidewall structure that allows a 31% reduction in in- fl ation pressure for the same load when compared to a standard tyre and provides a 24% increase in footprint to spread the load and protect soils without needing to go to wider widths.”
Look to future Soil expert Dick Godwin believes the UK cultivation landscape fac- es major change with massively confl icting demands placed on it. “The three-crop rule and lat- est environmental legislation, for example, are forcing many grow- ers to think differently about how they manage soils,” says Profes- sor Unwin.
“Experiences of diffi cult estab- lishment periods, long wet win- ters, reducing chemical effi cacy and product revocations limiting traditional agronomic approach- es are real concerns.”
AUGUST 2018 • ANGLIA FARMER 35
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