Function: TERRAL “Kiwi” Trimmers are designed to maintain the plants in actinidia plantations. During the vegetation cycle, fruit growers regularly use them to cut the branches that grow on the sides and underneath the plants (lopping). The aim of this work is to keep the area underneath the kiwi vine clear by removing new branches that may be susceptible to disease.

Use: The pruner is used during the actinidia’s vegetative development cycle (July to August). It is advisable to use it on green branches that are still growing. Branch length has no affect on the machine’s performance.

How it works: The driving speed and the section profile, combined with the clearance angle of the cutting panels, allow for a clean cut of the actinidia foliage. The machine’s multiple settings (angle and spacing) allow it to adapt to all types of plants.

Hitch: The TERRAL “Kiwi” Trimmer can only be mounted onto the front of the tractor, to combine trimming with the use of another tool at the rear, such as the TERRAL shredder, or a soil-working tool. It can also be mounted directly onto the rear of the tractor on the 3-point hitch or on a bogie. The 2 half-row trimmer needs to be used along all the interrows for a perfectly maintained vine. Thanks to the Vision chassis, the tractor offers full visibility at the front.

Feed rate: from 4 to 8 km/h depending on how stiff the vines are and how flat the soil is between vine rows.

Memo: The most remarkable feature of this machine is its name! Indeed, depending on the region, the name of this machine is not the same:

• In the great southeastern quarter of France it is an “écimeuse” or “pruning machine”
• In the southwestern and northeastern quarter of France it is a “rogneuse” or “leaf cutter”
• In other regions, such as the Charentes or the Loire, it is a “faucilleuse” or “scythe machine”
• In other regions of France, the terms “écourteuse” and “estrapeuse” are used.