Scarifier promotes decompression and helps crop and pasture yield

With the soybean harvest ending in several regions of Brazil, producers are starting to pay more attention to the preparation and quality of the soil that will receive the seeds in the next planting. This concern has a reason to exist, as the impact occurs up front, mainly on crop nutrition and, consequently, when harvesting. One of the pieces of equipment that the producer can count on to help prepare the land during this period is the EPCR 300 scarifier, manufactured by Piccin Tecnologia Agrícola, from São Carlos-SP. The equipment, which breaks the soil through the propagation of cracks and is recommended for uncompacting the surface layer of the soil, provides greater savings and productivity in the field.

Due to the positioning of its cutting discs in line, the implement performs a perfect cut of straw. “The surface is not turned over like in plowing or harrowing and thus there is disruption in its natural fracture lines. Subsoilers use rods that are driven into the soil and cause it to break forwards, upwards and to the sides, less deeply, generating decompaction of up to 300mm”, explains Precision Agriculture Technician, Paulo Padilha.

Turning or loosening the soil is an important practice in land maintenance, as it helps maintain the permeability of the land, improving water absorption and facilitating the rooting of plants. The choice of equipment when preparing the soil depends on the assessment, needs, type of land and planting of each farmer or rancher. “The EPCR 300 rods are cast in nodular material and were designed to perform decompression through vibration. They are produced to extract maximum efficiency through correct flexibility, abrasion resistance and durability”, explains Padilha.

Use in livestock

The use of a scarifier is especially recommended for direct planting as it keeps straw from previous crops on the soil surface, but it is also highly recommended in livestock farming, especially in the recovery of degraded pastures so that the rancher can extend their useful life. “The breeder who does a good job with the scarifier, decompacting the soil well, will enable better rooting of the Brachiaria, increasing the mass and consequently the AU/ha (Animal Unit per Hectare). The majority of pastures in Brazil are degraded and a large percentage of them have problems related to soil compaction,” he explains.