The effect of soil levelling on crop harvesting
When high-density crops like baby leaf, lamb’s lettuce or basil are harvested, operating tolerance is measured in millimetres.
The main goal is to ensure the crop is cut at a perfectly constant height: only by producing stems of the same length can an optimal quality standard be guaranteed for the market.
Soil preparation and a carefully levelled surface are a fundamental precondition for preventing soil contamination and ensuring that the cutting bar operates at peak performance.
The raised bed system and the role of the soil roller in industrial harvesting
Work surface management begins by preparing the seedbed. Use of levelling rollers enables the topsoil to be compacted evenly, removing clods and depressions from the terrain.
The ensuing stability enables the harvester’s tracks or wheels to move along the inter-row space without sinking. The cutting bar on large industrial machines operates in direct contact with the ground via a built-in front roller: the roller rests on the surface and closely follows the contours of the ground, keeping the blade at a constant height of just a few millimetres above the base of the plants.
Control systems for fresh-cut produce: use of integrated sensors
In the more compact machines, designed primarily for fresh-cut produce and high-density aromatic herbs, De Pietri’s technology makes use of integrated level sensors.
- Real-time ground-tracking sensors: the sensors continuously monitor the contour of the raised bed, while the hydraulic system is controlled to ensure that the cutting head follows the micro-undulations of the terrain to perfection.
- Preventing defects and avoiding waste: the bar adjusts instantly both when encountering ridges – preventing the blade from cutting into the soil – and when encountering dips – preventing the cut from being too high, which would leave produce in the field.
The importance of a homogeneous cut for enhanced crop value
Perfect soil levelling together with De Pietri’s on-board tracking systems (roller or sensor-based), ensures that every single leaf is cut to the same length. A precise cut preserves the commercial value of the raw material when industrial harvesting and fresh-cut produce are involved. It eliminates the risk of soil residues in the product and safeguards the structure of the plant, thereby ensuring rapid and uniform regrowth in the subsequent stages.
Soil levelling by De Pietri
The De Pietri technical team works alongside farms to help them choose the most suitable levelling and control system – ranging from large-scale industrial set-ups to compact machines – tailoring the harvester to the specific characteristics of the farmland to optimize harvesting right from the onset.