MSU AgBioResearch receives new planter

The Michigan State University (MSU) fruit research stations across Michigan have recently received their newest piece of equipment thanks to Gillison’s Variety Fabrication and the Michigan Tree Fruit Commission (MTFC).

Staff at the MSU research stations saw the value in having a planter with the recent trees that have or will be planted on MSU property, according to a Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center (NWMHRC) press release. The planter was originally donated to the MTFC and will be shared between MSU research centers that provide growers, natural resource managers and commodity groups with critical information they need to remain viable and competitive in the global economy.

This Gillison’s Variety Fabrication tree planter was designed for planting all types of trees. The planter will increase time efficiency plus decrease any extra labor costs, according to the NWMHRC. This planter has the ability to plant 300 to 500 trees per hour. The flexibility of this machine will allow station staff to work with planting trees of all sizes and will accommodate work in orchards planted on slopes and with varying types of soil. This particular piece of equipment is designed to use less horsepower than other designs.

NWMHRC Coordinator Nikki Rothwell, said “This planter has the potential to drastically increase our efficiency here at the NW Michigan Horticultural Research Center. We are putting in a general high-density apple planting of Gala and Honeycrisp this spring — this planter will be help us accomplish this task. With the tremendous support of the MTFC, we expect to be planting lots of trees in the near future, and this donation of a planter comes at the perfect time.”

The Michigan State University AgBioResearch Center’s would like to thank Gillison’s Variety Fabrication and the Michigan Tree Fruit Commission for making this donation possible.

For more information, call the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center at 231-946-1510.