PRODUCT
Maize and sunflower harvest heads W
hereas a sunflower is primarily recognized worldwide for its beauty, it is also an important source of food. Sunflower oil is a valued and healthy vegetable oil and sunflower seeds are enjoyed as a healthy, tasty snack and nutritious ingredient to many foods. It is also considered as an important agricultural crop choice for several countries across the world. Harvesting The sunflower plant is said to be mature for ripening when the back of its head has turned yellow from green. The bracts should also be turning brown in about 30 to 45 days after bloom. At this time, the seed moisture is usually at 35%. Row crop heads are undoubtedly the best choice as they do not necessarily need any modification. Maize
Flexxifinger’s* product development is often based on an idea that has been provided to us by a farmer. Flexxifinger* uses the same patented QDTM technology on all its lifters and harvesting aid attachment, which makes it possible to quickly interchange different lifters and/ or Corn Pans on the same header without the need for removing the guard bolt each time.
heads, on the other hand, need modification through the use of a cutting knife before use with sunflower. As such, the combines used for threshing small grains are adaptable to harvesting sunflower with a variety of header attachments available. Many of these attachments will be operating on a head stripper principle. Furthermore, platform heads can be used without modification. However, they often have a higher amount of seed and head loss as compared to a row head. This shortcoming can be managed by adding pans to the front of the platform. Alternatively, the modification of the reel can also improve its efficiency. It is also important to note that twelve-inch pans are best for 30-inch row spacings; 9-inch better for other row sizes and solid seeding. One
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common threshing mistake made by many farmers during harvest is waiting too long to harvest, leaving the seeds out to dry such that they end up shelling out. This results in excessive field losses. When threshing, be sure to have the header platform raised high enough such that it takes in the heads, all the while minimizing stalks as much as possible. By doing this, the head is left nearly intact through the process, but with all developed seed removed. However, grounding the head into small pieces will result in excessive trash in the grain. The air speed should be low so as not to blow the seed. As such, the fan should be set such that just enough air flow is there to keep trash from mixing with the seed. Companies such as Flexxfinger, Nardi-Pegaso, PSM-CS- to www.farmersreviewafrica.com
