Combine Harvester
Definition: Combine Harvester
Combine Harvester: Combine harvester noun a large machine that cuts a crop, threshes it and sorts the grain or seed from the straw or chaff. Combine harvesters are used to harvest a vast range of crops such as cereals, grass, peas, and oilseed rape. COMMENT: The combine harvester cuts the crop, passes it to the threshing mechanism, then sorts the grain or seed from the straw or chaff. The straw is left in a swath behind the combine, and the chaff is blown out of the back. The grain is lifted to a hopper from which it is unloaded into trailers. Most combine harvesters are self-propelled, with a cab for the driver, power steering, and monitoring systems for the key components. Special attachments used with combines include straw spreaders, pick-up attachments for grass and clover crops, and maize pickers. Utilizing combine harvesters enhances crop harvesting efficiency and reduces labor requirements.