Harvest Management – Garrett Foley

Source: Image Link http://www.producer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Harrington_Seed_Destructor-730×315.jpg

By using this technique operators can reduce the number of weed seeds that are returned to the soil. Many combine harvester models can be fitted with a chaff collection system or a seed destruction implement. The chaff collection system captures the material that is too small to be collected in the grain, and is normally blown out the back of the combine as waste which usually contains a high number of weed seeds.  A chaff collector captures this material and either blows it into a trailing wagon or deposits it on top of a straw swath for baling later. The chaff may be composted or fed to livestock. The seed destructor is a trailing unit that crushes weed seeds thrown out the back of combines to prevent the further distribution of weed seeds still distributer the straw and chaff back onto the field reduce the amount of biomass removed at harvest. However there is the cost of the machine, higher fuel and maintenance costs, along with more weight increasing compaction. However I believe this could very valuable in an organic production system.

Source: Image Link http://www.organicagcentre.ca/assets/vft_guilford_sept03_truck.jpg