The new XDC row unit from Gerringhoff is, according to Product Manager Hendrik Schneider, designed to “cut corn straw to the optimal size to create the best decomposition.” It is a two-knife roller unit based on Geringhoff’s current Northstar unit. 

“We have 4 knives that are actually overlapping when they come together, letting us cut the plant into 2-3 inch pieces,” says Schneider. “We specifically place the straw around the corn stubble as opposed to being blown across the field. So next year the soil between the stubble is very clean.”

The XDC specifically allows corn stalks to be cut by opposing knives at the same time, something Schneider says requires less force and produces a more even cut. Schneider adds that the Northstar system, which the XDC is based on, allows farmers to swap out the knives on the roller units as opposed to replacing the entire units.

He points out that the XDC is particularly suited to no-till and strip-till farmers, as those farmers “will still be able to work the ground perfectly in the spring with a clean seedbed.”

Territory Manager Craig Lee says the XDC satisfies customers who want a more aggressive cutting option and allows them to use genuine Geringhoff products as opposed to third-party options. 

Lee believes dealers will benefit from cutting out these direct-to-farmer aftermarket options with the ability to supply a solution through the XDC and keep that grower’s business in-house.