Harvesting attachment for whole plant harvesting

A harvesting machine for harvesting whole plants, the harvesting machine comprising:

• a frame supported on at least one wheel for movement over a field;
• a harvesting attachment coupled to the frame proximate a forward end of the frame, the harvesting attachment including:
• a supporting framework;
• a number of juxtaposed intake devices for conveying plants from the field;
• a first transverse conveyor belt and a second transverse conveyor belt for conveying the plants picked up by the intake devices transversely in the direction of the longitudinal central plane of the harvesting attachment;
• a discharge conveyor belt for conveying the plants coming in from the transverse conveyor belts rearward to a rear discharge point of the harvesting attachment;
• and
• a deflecting element arranged above a front region of the discharge conveyor belt and having a surface configured to deflect the plants coming in from the transverse conveyor belts downward and/or rearward.