Harrow is one of the most important farm equipment used in soil preparation by farmers. It is a multi-purpose tool used for different operations from leveling of heavy soil to eliminating dead grass and creating the seedbed for root aeration. It is necessary for farmers and agriculturists to invest in quality equipment if they want to increase the production. Harrow is used to break up the clods in the soil in an easy, efficient and fast manner giving it a rich finish, so it can be used to make a seedbed.
Many manufacturers offer a wide variety and models of harrow to serve various purposes and uses. Some of the most common types of harrow are disc harrows, chain disc harrows, chain harrow and tine harrow. Traditionally, these equipment used to be drawn by horse and mule, however, nowadays, modern harrow are mounted to the tractor.
Harrowing is an important soil managing practice done before planting seeds. It helps in breaking up clods on the surface crusts, enhances soil granulation and uniformity, preventing the weed growth and destroying the existing ones. Common uses of a disc harrow are mentioned below:
Uses of a Disc Harrow
· Preparation of fine seedbed
· Breaking the clods
· Pulverizing the soil or completely mixing the soil
· Aerates soil
· Killing weeds
· Covering seeds after broadcasting
Types of Disc Harrows
When you are looking for a harrow, you need to pick the right one from various types available in the market. Different types of disc harrows can be classified as per their operation in the soil management:
Disc Harrow – It usually consist of set of individually mounted discs arranged in opposite directions, to throw soil in different directions.
Offset disc harrow – It can be used in medium and light soil for ploughing. Attached to the tractor it is easily transportable.
Heavy Duty Hydraulic Harrow - Heavy Duty Hydraulic Harrow consists of bearing spools for better lubrication and less load on tractor. High quality seals are prevent the bearing and hub from mud and water.
Tandem Disc Harrow - High quality steel discs are compatible to be used in light and medium soil. Quick hitch compatible, it can be used for tillage depth upto 100 - 152 mm.
The type of disc harrow a farmer needs depends upon the purpose of the disking on a farm. Usually foe a large farm or land where you use tractor to pull disc harrow, choose a harrow which is suitable for your tractor’s power.
