Development and evaluation of a guayule seed processing system

• Published in: Industrial crops and products Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 378 - 384
• Main Authors: Bedane, G.M., Gupta, M.L., George, D.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2010; [Amsterdam; New York, NY]: Elsevier Science
• Subjects: air flow; Belt clearance; equipment design; Germination; Grading; Guayule; Parthenium argentatum; processing technology; Purity; Seed; seed crop production; seed germination; seed quality; seed treatment; seeds; sieving; specialty crops; thousand seed weight; Threshing; velocity; weight; Belt clearance; Threshing; Seed; Germination; Purity; Guayule; Grading
• ISSN: 0926-6690; 1872-633X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2009.12.005

Freshly harvested guayule seed often contains extraneous material and floral attachments. Seed of higher germination and purity is achievable through effective threshing and separation. The main objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an effective seed processing system for guayule. A combined threshing and grading system was developed following laboratory investigation of different approaches to seed threshing and separation. The seed processing system includes a rough surface belt type threshing mechanism, a cleaning unit consisting of a three layer reciprocating screen and an air assisted momentum discrimination chamber for grading and final separation. Harvested seed was processed using the machine at three belt clearances and speeds. The processed seed was analysed for seed purity, germination, thousand seed mass, clean seed recovery and processing efficiency. A threshing efficiency of up to 77% was achieved at processing capacity of 300 g/h of clean seed. Belt clearance and speed both affected the quality of processed seed. The grading system resulted in separation of up to 63.5% of first grade seed with a purity of 98% and germination of up to 76%. It was also possible to produce heavy seeds of up to 756 mg per thousand seed using the unit.