Selvatici: a compact auger for vineyard protection

A compact auger that is intuitive to use, designed for wine-growing cultivations characterised by high under-row plant mortality. The latest addition to the Selvatici family (based in San Lazzaro di Savena, near Bologna) was developed with the aim of mechanising the removal of plants infested by pathogens (such as downy mildew), which are still carried out by hand. The frame of the auger - the manufacturer explains in a note - has been developed to be attached to the three-point hitch at both the rear and the front of the tractor, thus providing the operator with a wider view of the work area. The hydraulically extendable boom can cover a maximum distance of 120 cm and is therefore able to work on vineyards with a row-to-row width of between 150 and 240 cm. Driven by a hydraulic motor, Selvatici's implement can be equipped with blade augers up to a diameter of 30 cm and traditional screw augers up to a diameter of 20 cm (both with a maximum height of 80 cm). This feature also allows it to be used in piling and grubbing operations.  The 180° rotation device of the auger arm - says the Selvatici note - can be operated manually by the user (with adjustment intervals of 20°) or, as an optional solution, hydraulically with a worm gearbox driven by another hydraulic motor.