Releasing of seeds by a lateral mechanical impact for feeding sesame stems into harvester

Abstract

The objective of the study was determination the release of seeds, caused by а lateral mechanical impact for feeding sesame stems into harvester in order to define the conditions for reducing losses. An experimental unit for simulating mentioned impact has been created. The percentage of releasing seeds depending on acceleration and the height of application point of the impact on single stem has been determined. It was found that the feeding of sesame stem into harvester can be achieved by a lateral impact with acceleration up to 0.5 m.s^-2 and speed up to 1.05 m.s^-1, if the application point has height 0.6 m from the soil surface. This impact causes up to 5% release of seeds from hybrid 27 when their moisture is 6.2%. The percentage of the seeds releasing of varieties Aida, Nevena and hybrid 23 are also admissible when the applied acceleration is 10.1%, 27.2% and 25.7% less than for hybrid 27 respectively. The lateral feeding of sesame stems into the harvester could reduce losses of seeds shatering up to four times compared with the upper feeding of stems by the conventional reel. The obtained results can be used to proof of a new way and working unit for feeding of sesame stems in harvester without significant seed losses.