DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF LEAFY VEGETABLE HARVESTER

Abstract

A vegetable harvester for leafy vegetables was developed to enhance mechanised production of herbaceous vegetables. The major components of the harvester include the cutting unit, the frame, the reel, the transmission unit and the storage bin. The components were designed using basic engineering principles, as well as Automated Computer Aided Design Software. AutoCAD 2007 version. The harvester was powered from the tractor Power-Take-Off. The height of cut is adjusted by the tractor hydraulic system. The performance of the harvester was evaluated in harvesting amaranths at various knife and forward speeds of the machine as well as different ages of vegetable and heights of cut. This was achieved by dividing the experimental field into sections with each section planted with vegetable to meet the specific operational field parameters. Data were obtained from each treatment and all were statistically analysed. Result of the tests showed that the field capacity of the machine increases linearly with increase in knife speed and forward speed. 447 rpm knife speed gave a field capacity of 0.18ha/h at a forward speed of 5.04 km/h. The harvesting efficiency of the machine at this optimal performance was 68%. At a reduced forward speed of 3.7kmh. the effective field capacity