Harvest Management

Key Check 8.
Cut and threshed the
crop at the right time.

Part 1: Understanding the PalayCheck System

Which banana would you like to eat?

An overripe banana will not satisfy you.

An underripe banana won’t either.

Rice is the same.

To be satisfied,
Harvest at the RIGHT TIME.

TOO EARLY TOO LATE

- Immature grains
- Unfilled grains - Increased grain shattering
- Low milling recovery - breakage during milling
- Harvest LOSSES - Harvest LOSSES
 Key Check 8
Cut and threshed the crop at
the right time

• Timely reaping, threshing and drying ensure good

rice quality, high market value and consumer
acceptance.

• Untimely harvesting also makes the crop more

prone to bird and rat damage, and lessens the
quality of seeds harvested.
 How to achieve Key Check 8?

Remember:
Drain field 7-10 days before the expected
date of harvesting
 To attain uniform maturity/ripening
 To prevent wetting of the grain
during harvesting
 For easy operation in the field
 How to achieve Key Check 8?

Harvest when…

1 5
3 4
2

ripened

 1/5 or 20% of the grains at the base of the panicle

are at hard dough stage
 Most of the grains in the panicle are golden yellow.
 When grain moisture meter ticks 20-25% MC (WS)
or 18-21% (DS)
 TECHNIQUE

Assess hard dough stage by pressing a grain from the

panicle base between the thumb and forefinger.

If milky liquid spurts out, palay is at milky grain stage

 TECHNIQUE

How MC can be determined?

Experienced farmers look at
the color of the palay,
feel the grain in their hands,
and crack it with their teeth
to determine whether the grain
is more or less wet or dry.
REMEMBER:
Avoid piling the harvested crop in the field for more than a
day to avoid grain discoloration and low-quality milled rice
due to heat build up.
 How to achieve Key Check 8?

Threshing

 Thresh palay not later than a day after

harvesting (WS), not later than 2 days (DS)
 Avoid threshing dripping wet palay using a
mechanical thresher to prevent losses from
poor grain cleaning & separation
 Observe recommended threshing
speed (800 rpm) to prevent grain
damage
To avoid/minimize losses, observe:
 RIGHT moisture
content
 RIGHT temperature
 RIGHT maturity

Protect grains from:

 Microorganisms
and insects
 Impurities
 Mechanical stress
You have cut and threshed
palay at the right time,
IF…
Palay is harvested when most of the grains
are golden yellow or 20% are in hard
dough stage

Palay is threshed not later than a day after

harvesting for WS and not later than 2
days for DS.
 INPUT OUTPUT OUTCOME
 Harvesting at  Minimize
80-85% grain shattering,
maturity unfilled grains
 GOOD grain
quality (high
 Right length of  Prevents
milling recovery,
time for piling/ discolored and
high market
stacking fissured grains
value)
 Threshing at the  Prevents pest
right time and infestation and
speed broken grains
 Proper drying
Key Check 8.
Cut and threshed the
crop at the right time.
CREDITS
Instructional presentation designer:
Ms. Ella Lois Bestil

Sources of technical content/reviewers of presentation:

Dr. Manny Regalado, Dr. Eulito Bautista, Engr. Artemio
Vasallo, Dr. Josue Falla, Dr. Caesar Joventino Tado

Note:
Adapted from a powerpoint presentation developed by:
Dr. Caesar Joventino Tado, Dr. Ricardo Orge

You may use, remix, tweak, For more information, visit:

& build upon this presentation
non-commercially. However, always
use with acknowledgment.

Unless otherwise stated, the names

listed are PhilRice staffers.

Produced in 2011.
Text: 0920-911-1398