Harvester Row Unit Impact Absorbing and Kernel Retaining Stalk Gap Rails

A harvester row unit comprises first and second deck plates having first and second stripping edges which are facing and spaced apart for defining a stalk gap therebetween, first and second gathering chains extending over the first and second deck plates and comprising a plurality of sweeping lugs which traverse adjacent to and along the stalk gap, and one or more elastically compressible stalk gap rails mounted to the first and second deck plates adjacent to and extending along the first and second stripping edges. The stalk gap rails include a ramped leading end and a trailing end, and the sweeping lugs climb up the ramped leading end, traverse across the stalk gap rails, and climb down the trailing end, and/or include support pads and pockets between adjacent support pads defining one or more flexible walls which deform when impacted by kernel carriers.