Methods for producing seed corn for use in growing corn plants, using combine harvesters

A method of using a combine harvester for producing seed corn for use in growing corn plants, the method comprising:

• identifying corn plants in a field to be harvested by the combine harvester, based on one or more characteristics of the corn plants in the field;
• and
• adjusting a spacing between a rotor of a threshing unit of the combine harvester and a housing of the threshing unit to generally match a diameter of cobs of ears of corn of the identified corn plants to be harvested;
• and then
• after identifying the corn plants in the field to be harvested:
• separating, by a corn header of the combine harvester, the ears of corn from stalks of the identified corn plants;
• transporting the separated ears of corn from the corn header into the spacing between the rotor and the housing of the threshing unit;
• directing, by the rotor, the ears of corn located within the spacing between the rotor and the housing of the threshing unit across concaves and separating grates of the housing to remove corn kernels from the cobs of the ears of corn;
• directing the removed corn kernels across at least one sieve of a separating unit of the combine harvester, to thereby separate the corn kernels from other material removed from the corn plants and/or ears of corn;
• and
• collecting, in a hopper onboard the combine harvester, the corn kernels that pass through the at least one sieve for subsequent use as seed corn to grow one or more corn plants.

A method for producing seed corn for use in growing corn plants, the method comprising:

• identifying corn plants in a field to be harvested by a combine harvester, based on one or more characteristics of the corn plants;
• adjusting a spacing between a rotor of a threshing unit of the combine harvester and a housing of the threshing unit to generally match a diameter of cobs of ears of corn of the identified corn plants to be harvested;
• and
• applying a salt spray to the identified corn plants;
• and then
• separating, by a corn header of the combine harvester, the ears of corn from stalks of the identified corn plants;
• transporting the separated ears of corn from the corn header into the spacing between the rotor and the housing of the threshing unit;
• directing, by the rotor, the ears of corn located within the spacing between the rotor and the housing of the threshing unit across concaves and separating grates of the housing to remove corn kernels from the cobs of the ears of corn;
• directing the removed corn kernels across at least one sieve of a separating unit of the combine harvester, to thereby separate the corn kernels from other material removed from the corn plants and/or ears of corn;
• and
• collecting, in a hopper onboard the combine harvester, the corn kernels that pass through the at least one sieve for subsequent use as seed corn to grow one or more corn plants.