Potato is the most popular crop. The process of harvesting it has its own technological difficulties, which can be eliminated through the use of special equipment - a potato harvester. Modern agriculture can not do without this machine, which saves not only labor costs, but also time.
What are potato harvesters?
This is an agricultural machine designed for harvesting potatoes. Some models may have additional devices that allow you to pick onions and beets from the roll.
Potato harvesters are designed in such a way as to obtain maximum output with minimal damage to the soil and adjacent areas with a different crop. These machines are highly maneuverable and can easily deploy even in difficult conditions and in small areas.
All modern models of combines have a lateral type of undermining. This means that the tractor moves away from the ridge and not behind or in front of it. This allows the use of large tires for wheels and, as a result, reduce pressure on the soil.
The principle of operation of the potato harvester
The harvester is equipped with a special digging device, which consists of two knives with an adjustable angle of inclination, a roller for adjusting the depth of immersion, spring-loaded cutting discs and rollers for removing the tops. During operation, this device digs a layer of soil with tubers and tops from a certain depth and feeds it to the screening mechanism. Then, the tubers, together with the tops and the whole soil, enter the feed tape. Around this mechanism is a tape for removing tops with large cells and 5-6 rows of ridges to remove leaves, soil and stones.
After all these steps, the potatoes are sent to the sorting panel and the tape to remove small potatoes and waste using rotating rubber “fingers” and a holding roller. Sorting panel is in horizontal position. It is well protected from dust and provided with comfortable conditions for workers. Work from 5 to 7 people from two sides.
After sorting, the potatoes are sent on tapes for unloading in a special hopper with a moving bottom. By adjusting the height of the bottom, you can reduce the height of the fall of tubers, which means to reduce their damage. Also, the hopper makes it possible to unload products from two sides. For small tubers, potato harvesters have a small hopper with the possibility of unloading.
Possible additional options
Potato harvesters may have such additional devices:
- The mechanism for picking onions and beets.
- Sun Canopy.
- Funnel for unloading products.
Types of Potato Harvesters
All potato harvesters are divided according to the following parameters:
- According to the size of the cultivated field: combines for large, large and medium, medium and small areas.
- According to the capacity of the hopper: machines with a two-ton, three-ton hopper, etc.
- By design: elevator and bunker.
- By the method of fastening: trailed, semi-mounted, mounted.
- By the number of simultaneously processed rows: single row, double row, four row harvesters.
- By the method of digging the soil: combines of the central and lateral digging.
The most popular in Russia is a single-row potato harvester. Such a machine is ideal for processing small areas, since the volume of its hopper for different models is up to 10 tons. If the crop is large, it is much more efficient to use an elevator type combine. A four-row machine is much less commonly used. Basically, this type of harvester is used in potato farms.
In addition to technical characteristics, most farmers pay attention to the quality indicators of the harvester. In most cases, side digging combines are used in agriculture, which injure tubers significantly less. The fact is that with such a machine, the unit is located on the side of the tractor, which is traveling along the already cleaned territory. Also, this type of harvester is distinguished by the highest quality of processing potatoes and greater productivity.
How to choose a harvester?
When buying a potato harvester, it is imperative to consider the size of the field being cultivated. You can use the machine on both small and large areas. But with large volumes of processed products, a more powerful combine with better technical characteristics will be needed.
When choosing a potato harvester, you need to pay attention to such basic parameters:
- performance indicator;
- potato harvesting steps;
- a method of loading tubers into a combine;
- engine availability;
- type of design of the separating mechanism;
- hardness class of parts designed to remove soil from the crop.
Modern manufacturers of agricultural machinery produce potato harvesters of various models and modifications. They differ in the type of attachment, the method of tillage and other options. Therefore, the buyer can choose the optimal type of machine that will allow you to efficiently, reliably and frugally harvest.
Major manufacturing companies
The modern agricultural technology market is represented by a large number of machines of various modifications. Nowadays, the most popular among Russian farmers is the Grimme potato harvester and the Dutch-Russian company Kolnag. More recently, Russia also produced potato harvesters at Agrotechresurs. But now the company produces only the KPK-2-01 model and a number of spare parts for previously manufactured types of combines.
Grimme potato harvester has gained the best reputation in the agricultural machinery market. He has proven himself in the industrial cultivation of potatoes. In addition, the manufacturer produces cars of various types: bunker, elevator, self-propelled combines, with side and central undermining. A wide range of potato harvesters allows you to choose a machine for any type of soil. Important advantages of Grimme combines are high quality of work performed and excellent operational parameters.
Domestic harvesters
Many farmers prefer Russian-made potato harvesters. Although foreign units are distinguished by better functional characteristics and greater operator comfort, they are less prepared for working with Russian soil. Among domestic models, the PDA machine is most often used. A potato harvester of this type has been produced by Ryazselmash since 1987. At first, the plant manufactured a three-row unit. And after a while, it was possible to launch the production of a two-row combine, which is still available today.
Potato harvester cost
There are many factors that determine how much a potato harvester will cost in the end. The price of this unit today ranges from 850 thousand to 20 million rubles. The most affordable harvesters of domestic production. And for European multifunctional potato harvesters you have to pay a little more. Among trailed harvesters, the most expensive market segment is represented by Grimme aggregates.
Basically, the cost of the harvester is affected by the level of productivity, dimensions, type of equipment (self-propelled or trailed machine), type of digging, number of rows harvested, quality of tubers cleaning and other parameters. If the combine is planned to be used in large areas, then it is better to choose a more powerful machine with a large hopper. And for processing small areas, the best option would be a mini potato harvester, the average cost of which is 850 thousand rubles.