An investigation of the amount of grain loss – using plant density and reel index of two popular brands of combine harvesters
University of Mosul, College of Agriculture and Forestry, Department of Agricultural
Machines and Equipment, Iraq
*Correspondence: yousif.yakoub@uomosul.edu.iq
Abstract:
Large wheat fields are cultivated in Iraq every year, especially in the Bazalan region. Although the grain production rate is high in Bazalan, the grain harvest loss is significant. Investigating wheat crop losses in different harvesting units is crucial to making decisions and improving working conditions. The current research was carried out to study the effect of the two popular brands of combine harvesters (New Holland TC56 and John Deere 1450 CWS) based on a relationship between the amount of loss from combine harvesters, reel indexes, and plant density. Three reel indexes (1, 1.5, and 2) and two plant densities (high-density and low-density sites) were considered. A randomised complete block split-plot design with three replications was carried out. The results showed positive superiority of the New Holland TC56 in the percentage of header losses, threshing losses, separation and cleaning losses, total harvest loss, and total loss with the highest performance efficiency of 97.725%; however, the harvester performance efficiency of the John Deere 1450 CWS remained within the acceptable loss limits. Finally, the best results were achieved with a 1.5-reel index level interacting with a high-density site; these results were statistically more significant than the differences between the New Holland TC56 and the John Deere 1450 CWS.
Key words:
combine harvester, harvester efficiency, header losses, plant density, wheat