Crop is routed past a sample window on an agricultural combine harvester. Light it is impinged on the crop from an illumination source and reflected radiation is directed to a sensor. The output of the sensor is indicative of various constituents in the harvested crop. The illumination source is controlled based on the temperature proximate the crop sample.

A non-row sensitive forage harvester header utilizes a single rotary transfer member to convey severed crop material from the forwardly positioned rotary cutting members to the feed rolls of the forage harvester. A fixed guide plate dislodges severed crop from the right cutting member to transfer the crop material to the left cutting member to convey the crop further rearwardly to the rotary transfer member. Additional fixed guide plates establish a flow path for the severed crop material and facilitate the movement of the severed crop from the left cutting member to the rotary transfer member and then to the feed rolls. A drive mechanism is provided to power the rotation of the cutting members and the rotary transfer member with a cutting disk on each cutting member being driven faster than the multiple crop engaging members also carried on the cutting members above the cutting disk.

A method and an apparatus for determining a throughput of a harvesting machine. More specifically, a harvesting machine having a throughput sensor and electronic control device, the throughput sensor calibrated on part of a field with a crop stand of constant density to consider the influence of the rate of advancement and the rate of conveyance of the crop on the signal of the throughput sensor.

An agricultural harvester has a controller operationally connected to at least the drive mechanism of header and the drive mechanism of the feedrolls to control these drive mechanisms. The controller successively executes a primary and a secondary synchronization procedure, wherein the primary synchronization procedure controls the header and feedroll drive mechanisms such that the header rotating speed and feedroll rotating speed are in a first predetermined ratio range; and the secondary synchronization procedure controls the header and feedroll drive mechanisms such that the header load and the feedroll load approach a second predetermined ratio.

Agricultural machine and method for harvesting a crop with upright stalks (29) on a soil, wherein means of transport are provided to convey the stalks (29) harvested upright to a feed-through channel (6), wherein the means of transport are provided on the front (1) of the machine and comprise at least a conveyor belt (7, 14) extending partly at the front (1) of the agricultural machine and which is designed to be driven in a direction of rotation (8) thereof in order to transport cut stalks (29) substantially upright to said feed-through channel (6). A cutter (12) is provided extending in said feed-through channel (6) to cut the stalks (29) while they are being moved upright through the feed-through channel (6).

Agricultural machine and method for harvesting a crop with upright stalks (29) on a soil, wherein means of transport are provided to convey the stalks (29) harvested upright to a feed-through channel (6), wherein the means of transport are provided on the front (1) of the machine and comprise at least a conveyor belt (7, 14) extending partly at the front (1) of the agricultural machine and which is designed to be driven in a direction of rotation (8) thereof in order to transport cut stalks (29) substantially upright to said feed-through channel (6). A cutter (12) is provided extending in said feed-through channel (6) to cut the stalks (29) while they are being moved upright through the feed-through channel (6).

A mower-conditioner for cutting and conditioning crop material, comprises a mower unit for cutting crop material and a conditioner unit that is configured to condition the cut crop material. A drive input is configured to receive a rotational drive from an external drive unit, and a drive transmission system is configured to transmit rotary drive from the drive input to the mower unit and the conditioner unit. The drive transmission system includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that transmits rotary drive between the mower unit and the conditioner unit with a variable speed ratio.

A control system for a harvester having a residue discharge system operable to eject crop residue according to an adjustable residue discharge parameter, the control system including a processor, a memory, a human-machine interface, and a sensor configured to detect at least one of wind speed, wind direction, or humidity. The control system is configured to receive the signal from the sensor, receive an operator input corresponding to a desired residue management strategy selected from at least a first residue management strategy and a second residue management strategy, and adjust the residue discharge parameter based on the desired residue management strategy and the detected at least one of wind speed, wind direction, or humidity.

A forage harvester is disclosed that includes a cutterhead assembly and two frame parts between which the cutterhead assembly is rotatably suspended. The forage harvester assembly is held on both frame parts by a clamp bearing that defines a rotary axis. Contact points between an element on the frame part side and an element on the assembly side of the clamp bearing lie on a spherical surface centered on the rotary axis.

Systems, methods and apparatus for the thermal conversion of biomass into biochar. A mobile platform may be used to maneuver a mobile biochar generation system within a field of biomass. The biomass may be harvested, preprocessed and pyrolyzed. After pyrolyzation, the biochar may be cooled to a predetermined temperature by integrating water and liquid nutrients into the biochar. The system may then control the application of the infused biochar by adjusting a spreading attachment and a plowing attachment.