Kuhn is in the process of adding a third family member to its expanding portfolio of mechanical hoes. The Starliner rotary hoe joins the Rowliner and Tineliner launched at Agritechnica 2023.
The result of an agreement with Einböck, for which Kuhn has given its own specifications, the Starliner is suitable for winter and spring crops such as cereals and maize, and direct-drilled or no-till crops.
The sole model available in the range is the Starliner 630, which has a 6.3m working width and folds to 2.96m wide for transport. Central to the design are the 63 rotary stars, each mounted and suspended individually, to follow ground contours and avoid crop damage. Each arm has 28kg of constant ground pressure through individual torsion springs to help break up crusty soil surfaces and uproot weeds.
Hardened 180mm-wide spoon tips are fixed around the edge of each star and face rearwards to lift the top few centimetres of soil to improve aeration. The tips are individually replaceable and easily displace the smaller weed plants which then remain on the surface once the machine has passed through.
“The Starliner can be adapted to winter and spring crops including wheat, barley, oats, maize, and direct drilled or no-till systems, allowing growers an alternative weed control method,” comments Edd Fanshawe, Kuhn’s arable product specialist.
“It can work in crops at varying growth stages, but weeding timing is essential to avoid excessive crop damage. The aggressivity of the machine can be altered by increasing forward speed, between 12-25km/hr, or adjusting the height of the gauge wheels.”
Pre-production Starliners will be available in several countries this season. Working widths have not yet been released, and farmers keen to place an order for a Starliner are being told to be patient. None of the units from the first production run will cross the North Sea.
For more up-to-date farming news click here and subscribe now to profi and save 47%.
