Terraland turning heads and soil in WA

Called the Terraland TO and made by Bednar, it has been positioned with a point of difference in the deep till market.

According to WA agent and Morawa farmer Grant Borgward, the Terraland represents a one-pass solution to soil renovation and amelioration in light sandy soils and a giant ripper in medium to heavy country.

"With this machine you can rip and incorporate like a spader," he said.

"So in effect you can resolve issues like non-wetting and low topsoil pH while working on the deeper soil profile.

"Trials in WA have shown significant elevation of soil pH within one year because of the incorporation effect of the Terraland.

"And visually, crops certainly look better compared with controls."

The Terraland TO model comprises two rows of heavy duty tines with carbide and hard-faced chisel points fitted below a wing assembly that effectively mixes soil.

A following tandem spiky roller completes the incorporation while levelling.

It is designed for intensive tillage at depths of up to 55 centimetres (22in) on a six metre (20ft) working width, while mixing to a depth of 350 millimetres (14in).

In trials earlier this year, Mr Borgward said the Terraland was pulled with a Quadtrac operating at 7.5 kilometres per hour with depth controlled at 55cm.

The central frame is formed by four-girders and the frames of working sections are made of 150((xD7))×150 mm (6x6in) profile for higher resistance.

Having a rear drawbar means the Bednar Cutterpack or Presspack trailed packers can be connected to the machine to finish off the job.

According to Mr Borgward, the technology of the Bednar Terraland is designed to help the farmer bring the sub-soil, which is richer in potassium and clay particles, more to the surface while ripping deep into the profile.

"In trials in WA, the shape of the Terraland tine matched with the 80mm-wide (3in) chisels - which are 30cm (12in) in length - did a great job of bringing up the soil from below with a higher clay content which increases the soils nutrient-holding capacity and increases potassium content of the topsoil," he said.

"It also reduces non-wetting sand as it is diluted with clay resulting from the mixing action of the Terraland.

"The Terraland leaves the soil enriched with extra nutrient mixed well throughout the profile with no hard pans down to 55cm and firms and evenly mixes the topsoil with the tandem spiky roller.

"With the range of blade widths from 40mm to 125mm (1.5-5in) and also the option of delving blades you can simply tool the machine up or down in blade size depending on the amount of mixing that needs to be achieved in each paddock.

"With the Terraland we believe in working deeper for greater yields.

"It's a very simple statement and when you look at the result from reducing hard pans, oxygenating the sub-soil, bringing nutrient up from below, mixing and activating the soil to release tied up nutrients, reducing waterlogging and packing the surface to reduce moisture loss and stop erosion, we believe the Terraland is the best machine for the job.

"Diesel is cheaper again so it makes ripping deep more attractive and lime needs to be incorporated as deep as possible to fix sub-soil acidity.

"Hard pans need to be ripped as deep as possible in each individual paddock so super deep ripping below 500mm (20in) generally results in an extra tonne per hectare in yield, according to DAFWA.

"Mixing sand and clay evenly is very important for improved soil structure, so if you have clayed, moulboarded or delved results will be further enhanced if you mix and rip it with the Terraland.

"Almost every farm in WA has a hard pan at 125mm or 150mm (5-6in), some form of top soil or sub-soil acidity and small to large areas of non-wetting sands.

"The Terraland offers you the versatility of a super deep ripper as well at varying depths, depending on soil type.

"It also becomes a mini-delver when you put the biggest delving blades on it and bring the clay to the surface.

"The shape of the tine and the mixing wings on either side of the tine ensures thorough mixing of the soil beneath the surface and the giant tandem spiky rollers mix the topsoil and pack it down firm to lock in the moisture and level the paddock for a seed bed, leaving a dimple pattern on the surface which is the best prevention for wind erosion and great for water infiltration when it does rain.

"The reason we call the Terraland's action renovation tillage is because we are improving so many of the soil attributes in just one pass."