Comparative Analysis of Mechanical In-Field Corn Residue Shredding Methods: Evaluating Particle Size Distribution and Rating of Structural Integrity of Corn Stalk Segments

Sebastian Ramm (), Hans Heinrich Voßhenrich, Mario Hasler, Yves Reckleben and Eberhard Hartung
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Sebastian Ramm: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Kiel University of Applied Sciences, 24783 Osterrönfeld, Germany
Hans Heinrich Voßhenrich: Thünen Institute of Agricultural Technology, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Mario Hasler: Lehrfach Variationsstatistik, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Yves Reckleben: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Kiel University of Applied Sciences, 24783 Osterrönfeld, Germany
Eberhard Hartung: Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-24

Abstract: The European corn borer is a major pest of corn that overwinters in corn stubble and stalks. Shredding these residues disrupts the larvae’s habitat or directly harms them. A corn header has been engineered with a new type of cutting tool on its horizontal choppers, featuring sharp edges and dulled flails, to shred corn stubble near the soil surface. This study investigated the effect of the dulled flails on the shredding intensity of corn stover. Field trials compared flail knives with standard knives for particle size distribution of corn stover and structural integrity of corn stalk segments. Additionally, a common two-step method, which involved a standard knives-equipped corn header followed by tractor-driven flail mowers, was tested. The flail knives reduced the mean particle size by 3.6 mm compared to the standard knives. Subsequent processing with tractor-driven flail mowers, following the corn header using standard knives, led to a reduction in mean particle size by 11.8 mm. It also further reduced the number of incompletely destroyed stalk segments. However, completely intact internodes were scarce in all methods. Given that flail knives enhance shredding intensity without a second processing step, this concept is concluded to be effective for corn stover shredding.

Keywords: corn harvest; corn header; corn stover; flail mower; European corn borer; combine harvester; sieve analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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