Modern self-propelled combine harvesters have evolved into complex machinery, which use a considerable amount of energy to move into the field and perform all the technological processes required for harvesting crop. It replaced the grain reaper and binder previously used to cut and bundle grain to place grain in shocks to dry in the field before hauling to a stationary threshing machine.
Combines for harvesting grain, potatoes, carrots and beets are part of a rapidly developing market of farming machines. Modern harvesters gather together the material from cut widths of 5-10 m and process it in such a way that, unless spreading devices are added to the combine harvester discharge, the residues are ejected out of the back in the form of a windrow of light fluffy straw 2-3 m wide.
Underlying this windrow will be the chaff from the separation processes, which consists of very short pieces of straw, awns, leaf material, empty glumes, chaff, dust and weed seeds. Most combine harvesters have optional straw spreaders. These are different from straw choppers in that spreaders do not chop the straw into shorter lengths.
The combine harvester transports the grain to a truck or wagon for transport to storage or market. Modern combine harvesters are equipped the machine’s working parameter and the quality of harvesting operation. Satellite navigation systems support the generation of digital yield maps.
Modern combine harvester
