Harvest at ground level to get the lentil crop into the comb. It can be challenging with lodging or a relatively low crop height varying from 15 to 50cm. All except very short crops will show some lodging at or after maturity. Some varieties are more erect than others. Lentils sown inter-row into standing cereal stubbles tend to stand taller and remain more erect at harvest.

Tips for harvesting

• Harvest as soon as possible, delays can be costly.
• Harvest early in the day or in the evening; humidity reduces seed shatter.
• Flex or pick-up fronts give best results under a range of conditions.
• Blowers or a vortex reel enable harvesting lower to the ground ensuring good crop feed.
• Air assist, short crop lifters and double fingers improve harvest efficiency.
• Open fronts can harvest lentils successfully if an even paddock surface and the crop canopy is dense and free of weeds. Crop lifters are required.
• An extended cutter bar table and air assistance will reduce harvest losses.
• Harvest lodged crops into or across the direction in which the crop lies.
• Thinner, shorter or lodged crops are more challenging; harvest direction may have to be one-way.
• Harvest speed should not be excessive to minimise the likelihood of splitting and damaging the grain.
• Use a desiccant if Summer weeds prevent early harvest.

Harvest performance poor in wheel tracks.