Though tyres are arguably the less glamourous side of machinery, having the correct footwear can both boost performance and help protect soil and the wider environment.

When it comes to tyre choice the offerings are abundant, enhanced now by a new option from Alliance – part of Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT) – in the form of its 372 Agriflex+ (VF) tyre.

Alliance claims that the Very High Flexion (VF) technology is the most advanced on the market. VF is a step-up from the firm’s Improved Flexion (IF) technology, offering a larger footprint and the ability to take more load, explains Gerrit Vinkers, quality assurance and application specialist at YOHT. “The tyre has been designed with increased sidewall flexibility. This means that at the same inflation pressure, VF tyres can take up to 40% more load than the standard. In the field, this enables minimum soil compaction and maximum yields.”

The larger footprint also enables higher traction, reduced fuel costs and improved driver comfort, he adds.

Tyre trials

The tyre was put through its paces in 2021 maize trials in Denmark – carried out by The Danish Agricultural Advisory Service and research team, SEGES Innovation – which compared the performance of the Alliance 372+ and 389+ tyres with standard tyre when used on a Fendt 939 tractor, with a slurry trailer on the back. “The soil was ploughed under very dry conditions, followed by a liquid manure application at a later date using the same tractor and a Samson PG27 slurry trailer,” explains Gerrit.

VF tyres

Where the Alliance Agriflex+ tyres were used, there was a track depth reduction of 43% (79mm with the standard tyres compared with 45mm) and wheel slip was reduced by 4.4%. “This subsequently equates to more fuel saving and more hectares covered per hour,” he adds.

“The 372+ Agriflex tyres also led to better soil protection via significantly less compaction – as measured via a penetrometer. All of this combined led to yield increases of between 1.5-2.2%/ha.”

Traditional tyres

In terms of profit gain, this was calculated at between €21.80/ha (£18.10) and €32/ha (£26.57) where the Alliance VF tyres were used.

“If you have a 100ha field, you will achieve savings of several thousand euros per year via fuel usage and reduced compaction,” concludes Gerrit. “In addition to significantly lower soil compaction, the results of these field trials provide convincing evidence of the economic benefits of using VF tires such as the Alliance Agriflex+ 372 and 389+.”

For your nearest Alliance dealer in the UK and Ireland, contact Kirkby Tyres on 0151 728 4171, visit www.kirkbytyres.co.uk or their stand (hall 9, booth 9.210) at LAMMA 2022 in Birmingham.