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International Journal of Agricultural Research

Year: 2011 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 5 | Page No.: 420-428
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Authors

R.A. Hegazy

G. Molari

A.M. El-Sheikha

Keywords

Research Article

Prototype of Harvesting System for Some Aromatic and Medical Plants

R.A. Hegazy, G. Molari and A.M. El-Sheikha
Although aromatic and medical plants have vital benefits and importance for producers or users, still there is lack of research on harvesting machines which can be used to harvest and collect these types of plants. So, the purpose of this study was to design a new harvesting prototype for cutting and collecting different types of these plants. The main components of the experimental harvester are: engine with traveling mechanism, cutting unit and conveying unit connected with storage tank. The design concepts were related to cultivation, environmental factors for these types of plants. The general performance of the prototype for harvesting three types of aromatic and medical plants showed that the working time taken by the machine to collect sage was higher than time taken to collect rosemary and winter savoy by 16 and 12%, respectively, where average values of fuel consumption for sage, rosemary and winter savory were 0.32, 0, 27 and 0.30 kg kWh-1, respectively. Machine working efficiency varied from 28.5 to 36.9 m2 min-1 for all plants. Best working efficiency values obtained by using machine with rosemary. There were increasing in harvesting losses for sage and rosemary by 15.4 and 14% compared to winter savory, also number of transferred plants incase of winter savory was high and gave best transfer efficiency by 89.2% on average. Generally, the performance of the prototype demonstrated clear results about harvesting specific plants successfully. More effective use for such machine will be continue with further modifications for this prototype.
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