Single-Pass, Split-Stream Harvest of Corn Grain and Stover

Abstract

A grain combine was equipped with a whole-plant corn head and modified to produce single-pass, whole-plant corn harvesting with two crop streams: grain and stover. Capture of potential stover DM varied from 48% to 89% for leaves, from 49% to 92% for stalks, and was greater than 90% for husks and cobs, depending on corn head height. Stover aggregate moisture varied between 36% and 50% (w.b.), and area capacity ranged between 1.6 and 2.6 ha h-1, depending on corn head height. Whole-plant harvesting reduced area capacity by nearly 50% compared to harvesting with a conventional ear-snapping head. Single-pass stover had an average particle size of 69 mm and bulk densities of 51 and 110 kg DM m-3 in the wagon and bag silo, respectively. Estimated ethanol yield ranged between 2600 and 3945 L ha-1, depending on corn head height. Fermentation of single-pass stover in a bag silo was adequate, with average losses of 6% of total DM.