Guidelines for Good Combine Harvesting Methods

2020-05-14

• Timing of combine harvesting

  Harvest at the correct time (20−25% moisture content or when 80% of the grains are straw coloured and at least 20% of the grains at the panicle base have reached hard dough stage). The time interval for harvesting by combine harvester is often narrow: too early harvesting will result in a high percentage of immature kernels, and too late harvesting will result in high shattering losses.

• Machine adjustment

  Set the threshing speed according to the machine specifications (check the operator's manual) based on the grain moisture content, volume of material entering into the combine, weeds, etc. Operating thresher speed either too fast or too slow reduces profit.

• Fine tuning forward speed and header height is especially important to minimize field loss.