Progress in Mechanized Harvesting Technologies and Equipment for Minor Cereals: A Review

Xiaojing Ren, Fei Dai, Wuyun Zhao, Ruijie Shi (), Junzhi Chen and Leilei Chang
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Xiaojing Ren: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Fei Dai: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Wuyun Zhao: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Ruijie Shi: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Junzhi Chen: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Leilei Chang: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-26

Abstract: Minor cereals are an important part of the Chinese grain industry, accounting for about 8 percent of the country’s total grain-growing area. Minor cereals include millet, buckwheat, Panicum miliaceum , and other similar grains. Influenced by topographical and climatic factors, the distribution of minor cereals in China is mainly concentrated in the plateau and hilly areas north of the Yangtze River. In addition, there are large concentrations of minor cereals in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and other areas with flatter terrain. However, the level of mechanized harvesting in these areas is still low, and there is little research on the whole process of mechanized harvesting of minor cereals. This paper aims to discuss the current status of the minor cereal industry and its mechanization level, with particular attention to the challenges encountered in research related to the mechanized harvesting of minor cereals, including limited availability of suitable machinery, high losses, and low efficiency. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the key technologies that must be advanced to achieve mechanized harvesting throughout the process, such as header design, threshing, cleaning, and intelligent modular systems. It also summarizes current research progress on advanced equipment for mechanized harvesting of minor cereals. In addition, the article puts forward suggestions to promote the development of mechanized harvesting of minor cereals, focusing on aspects such as crop variety optimization, equipment modularization, and intelligentization technology, aiming to provide a reference for the further development and research of mechanized harvesting technology for minor cereals in China.

Keywords: minor cereals; agricultural machinery; harvester; high efficiency; low loss; current status (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: 2025
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