One-pass wonder: Transforming soils with smart tillage

As land prices soar and growers look to boost productivity from every arable acre, efficient soil improvement is more important than ever.

For WA-based contractor John Davis of Total Tillage Contracting and Hire, helping farmers revitalise their soils in just one pass has become a game-changer.

Operating across the vast WA wheatbelt, John has long provided soil amelioration services with an arsenal of tillage tools, including a spader, speed tiller and delver. But the recent addition of the Gregoire Besson Discordon One-Pass Finisher has taken his offering to the next level.

Replacing a traditional chisel plough, the 6.2-metre Discordon has impressed with its versatility, durability and superior soil finish ahead of seeding. Its two rows of independent tines and discs, followed by a crumble packer, allow John to cover more ground – up to 5000 hectares in just over a year – without leaving a mess.

“Compared to the chisel plough, it’s cleaner, faster and far more adaptable. We can rip deeper, adjust the tines on the go, and it folds to under 3 metres for easy transportation,” John said.

“It’s handled everything from medium to heavy eastern wheatbelt soils to sandy soils near Dandaragan.”

More than just machinery, the Discordon represents a smarter approach to land management.

“Rather than buying more land, fix what you’ve got. Improving poor paddocks boosts both yield and property value,” John added.

Available in working widths from 2.9m to 7.2m, with optional winged points and ring or cage packers, the Discordon is built tough for Australian conditions.

Growers will be able to inspect the Discordon at the upcoming 2025 AgQuip Field Days at Gunnedah, NSW, or can contact their local dealer to arrange a free on-farm demonstration to view the benefits of the one-pass machine.