Crimping Cover Crop Rollers Ready For Market

Crimping Cover Crop Rollers Ready For Market CROPS Miscellaneous Cover crop rollers for big tractors compact tractors and even walk-behind tractors from USDA engineers provide better than 90 percent kill of cover crops without the use of herbicides “These rollers are not yet available from commercial sources ” says Ted Kornecki at the National Soil Dynamics Lab in Auburn Ala “We’re looking for partners to license the technology from us and start producing them ” Kornecki has worked with both smooth rollers and rollers with straight and curved bars While all can be effective at terminating a cover crop the rollers with crimpers are more adjustable for soil and plant conditions Rollers have been designed for both conventional fields and elevated beds Kornecki also developed a pto-powered roller/crimper for small farmers with walk-behind tractors It can provide 99 percent kill of cereal rye cover crops as early as 14 days after rolling/crimping “We used lifters and cams mounted on a camshaft to lift the crimper bar against springs ” explains Kornecki “When they are disengaged the springs produce downward force for effective crimping This means the machine can be lighter than traditional roller/crimpers and requires less horsepower It’s also easier to handle during operation and transport ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ted Kornecki PhD P E USDA-ARS-NSDL Conservation Systems Research 411 S Donahue Dr Auburn Ala 36832 ph 334 887-8596 ext 2745; tkornecki@ars usda gov

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