FEASIBILITY STUDY OF ESTIMATING NUTRITIONAL QUALITY PROPERTIES OF ALFALFA CROP USING ON-THE-GO MEASUREMENT OF SHEAR ENERGY DURING BALING OPERATION

MAHARLOOEI M.¹, LOGHAVI M.², RAOUFAT M.H.³, NASIRI M.^4
1Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
²Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
³Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
⁴Department of Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Received : 27-11-2013     Accepted : 23-01-2014     Published : 17-03-2014
Volume : 3     Issue : 1       Pages : 39 - 43
World Res J Agric Biosyst Eng 3.1 (2014):39-43

Yield monitoring systems for grain and some non-grain crops have been developed and are commercially available. However, no commercial method has been developed for on-the-go measurement of quality indices in field condition and scientific studies are still in progress. Most of these efforts are based on NIR and RS techniques. These techniques have some limitations that make them impractical for in-field usage, besides, using these techniques and the required devices are not accessible in most low income and developing countries. Previous researches showed good correlation between shear force needed to cut forage crop stems and their nutritional quality indices. In this study, we have tried to use this technique in field conditions to estimate quality indices during baling operation. To achieve this, a rectangular baler was equipped with an appropriate load cell for measuring the shear force imparted on the stationary knife blade while each new charge of hay is introduced to the baling chamber. To account for the effects of hay slice thickness and density on shear force, an additional mass flow rate sensor was also installed on this machine. Different levels of crop quality treatments were selected to evaluate the suggested method. Hay samples were also collected from the test fields and their nutritional quality indices were measured using standard laboratory test methods. Results showed correlation between the shear energy and some quality indices if the effects of mass flow rate and moisture content are canceled. Further investigations are needed to prove the creditability of using this real-time method in-field conditions.