MPSG On Farm Network research conducted back in 2014, compared the effect of two different harvest methods on a few varieties of pinto and navy dry beans, that had been grown on 30 inch rows. The study compared traditional undercutting and windrowing (in the morning on the same day of harvest) and picked up versus direct harvesting with a flex header. They looked at average yields and estimated harvest losses.
The pinto beans were harvested by a John Deere 9870 STS with a Sund pickup compared to the same combine with a 35 foot 635F flex header with a CWS wind bar.
The navy beans were harvested by a Case 7230 combine with a Sund pickup compared to the same combine with a 35 foot MacDon FD75-S flex draper header.
Due to minor delays in harvest, (in this case waiting for the later varieties to mature and then rainfall delays), the plants were more mature than they would have needed to be when harvested on October 5.
Researchers concluded:
- Flex harvesting resulted in higher losses overall compared to cutting and windrowing.
- Warning – To try to get all of the beans, the flex headers (particularly the MacDon) put many rocks in the rock
trap of the combine and many smaller rocks through the combine. (Oh no! That is not a good feeling!)
The field was as smooth as you can expect for not having been rolled
Bigger plants, both taller and with more plant material would likely have improved the effectiveness of the flex header
treatments on all varieties. 2014 was a dry year, so the tallest variety in these trials had plants that grew up to 18 inches high and the shortest variety in these trials had plants that only grew up to 11 inches tall.
Harvesting earlier may have reduced losses for both harvest methods from shatter and plant shrinkage or from laying flat and being more difficult to pick up.
Earlier harvest on the other hand increases the likelihood of un-threshed pods getting spit out of the back of the combine and/or affecting the quality of the sample with the odd green seed.
Best practices for flex harvesting edible beans would be taking them a little earlier than researchers were able to in this trial.
The study suggested that flex harvesting edible beans has potential advantages but also significant challenges. Flex harvesting can reduce manpower demands compared to traditional cutting and windrowing, but it often results in higher harvest losses, especially for varieties not specifically designed for direct harvesting.
Flex harvesting may be better suited for varieties with upright architecture designed for direct harvesting. However, timing, field preparation (e.g., rolling), and variety selection are critical to minimizing losses.
Varieties have improved over the years and many dry beans are now grown by solid seeding on narrow rows, but this study’s information is important to consider when it comes to choosing your preferred harvest method for your individual dry bean fields.
Pods that you may leave behind (below 2 inches), are important to consider because they impact the yield that actually makes it to the bin.
