A prototype of head spike harvester was designed based on a transplanter with high ground clearance and without transplanting device.The harvester was used to harvest ratoon rice in field.The harvester contained helix transport,cutting platform,conveyor trough,grain tank and the second power.The parameters of structure and motion were calculated based on the agronomic requirements of ratoon rice in China.Its cutting width is 1.6 m and feeding amount is 1.8 kg/s.The three dimensional model of the harvester was designed by Pro/E.The performance test of the prototype harvester was conducted in the experiment farm on Huazhong Agricultural University campus.Rice varieties were “Liangyou28” and “Huanghuazhan”.The soil firmness was 1 081.21 kPa and 1 898.55 kPa,respectively.The soil moisture content was 25.56% and 19.71%,respectively.The results showed that the mass distribution and equilibrium ability of prototype harvester was well.The rate of stubble pushing was less than 25.15%.The stubble height can be adjusted from 250 mm to 650 mm.The pure field work efficiency was more than 0.24 hm2/h meeting the practicial requirements.