New Holland extends its electric XPower weed killing solution to narrow vines

ew Holland has turned on the switch, confirming its commitment to electric weed control at this year’s Sitevi exhibition in Montpellier at the beginning of December. The Italian manufacturer, through its technology subsidiary AgXtend, has unveiled a prototype of the Xpower XPN electric weeding tool for narrow vineyards. Mounted on a Braud 9070 N high-clearance tractor, the 4-module prototype for one row and two half-rows is hydraulically driven, instead of the PTO for the already familiar model on inter-row tractors. The 36 kW - 50 hp - generator thus powered produces an alternating current transformed into direct current. The current is the same: 8,000 volts are supplied to the applicators. Mounted on a pivoting inter-vine appliance, they weed over a width of 40 cm, all which is controlled from the Intelliview 4 screen in the cab. In fact, the XPN is integrated into the carrier using technology designed to be versatile.

Development of the tool is still ongoing and is focusing on bringing the electrocution module closer to the ground. The aim is to adjust to the trellising and vineyard management techniques of narrow vines with low bunches of grapes, and thus avoid breakage. Also, unlike the prototype displayed at Sitevi, the moving electrode on a pivot will take on an elongated and rigid U shape instead of flexible strips. According to AgXtend, the aim is to have as few moving parts as possible, with the best possible ground tracking for the application modules. The driving speed of the high-clearance tractor is the same as that of a conventional tractor: between 2 and 4 km/h depending on soil and weather conditions and the density and diversity of the grass cover. Finally, AgXtend says that two different hydraulic drive solutions are being tested, but the manufacturer is still keeping the processes under wraps.