A LIGHT rotary cultivator, redesigned from an old favourite from the 1980s, is coming back into fashion as farmers look for effective methods of stubble management for blackgrass, weed, volunteer and slug control, according to Claydon Drills.

The company re-introduced the concept earlier this year with the launch of its 6m TerraStar, a unique low-cost, high-output shallow rotary cultivator which can cover 90ha per day behind a 150hp tractor using less than 200 litres of diesel.

Now, it said, sales of the new UK-built implement are booming on the back of strong demand from domestic and overseas customers.

“Farmers have been quick to recognise the benefits of the TerraStar as a valuable weapon in their armoury against blackgrass, cereal volunteers, brome grass and other weeds,” pointed out Jeff Claydon.

“The TerraStar uses two banks of cross-blade rotors which move slightly more soil than a Claydon straw harrow but less than normal tine cultivators or disc-type implements, which create too much fine tilth and present a significant weather risk by either drying out or turning soils slushy.

"Instead, this machine creates just enough tilth to encourage volunteers and weeds to chit, while assisting with slug control, drainage and the incorporation of manures or root crop residues. That makes it a very valuable stubble management tool, particularly in a season such we are experiencing at the moment," he added.

It has 68 rotating star-shaped points, fitted to two knife bars in a 200mm grid pattern. These cut 80mm-square divots from the top layer of soil to create a shallow cultivation effect, leaving an 'egg tray' surface.

Because of its high operating speed of 15-20 km/h, the rotating blades produce thousands of miniature plugs and this is an ideal, high-humidity environment in which volunteers and grass weeds germinate quickly.

“The declining effectiveness and increasing cost of agrochemicals is forcing us all to focus on more effective management of stubbles using mechanical solutions, and the TerraStar can be used prior to any cultivation/drilling system,” said Mr Claydon.

“On our own farm we have 14 years’ proof that direct drilling can work well, but it must be done correctly and in combination with an effective stubble management strategy. Ignoring weeds, volunteers and slugs does not make them go away – it is essential to make them grow and kill them so they cannot return.”