EFFECTS OF GYNOPHORE BREAKING RESISTANCE ON LOSSES IN MECHANIZED PEANUT HARVESTING

Gynophore breaking resistance (GBR) is an important factor, which is, designates the losses from digging to threshing in mechanized peanut harvesting. It depends on flowering period, in other words, duration of staying down in the soil, soil structure and moisture content. In this study, to determine the changing of GBR, which is effective on harvesting losses directly, with moisture content and effects on harvesting losses were aimed. Tests were conducted in two stages as laboratory and field. In laboratory tests, the changing of GBR with moisture content was attained. For this aim, a measurement set was developed and used. The tests were done on specimen collected in different time after digging to get different moisture content. After measurement, moisture contents of peanuts and pegs were obtained separately. GBR was investigated for first and second peanut shoots. In the field tests, harvesting losses were determined for different moisture contents and these losses were discussed according to GBR. The total losses were evaluated as pick up and harvesting/separating losses. Also, statically analyses were done for all test results. It was obtained that there is exponential relationship between GBR and moisture content. When moisture content decreases, GBR decreases and consequently total harvesting losses increase. Second peanut shoots are more resistible to the breaking than first shoots. Total losses affected by the pick up losses mostly. In addition, the pick up losses were discussed analytically according to forces acting on pegs while picking up.