Influence of Operational Parameters of Cutting Blade on Torque Requirement and Cutting Index of Cassava Stem

The most difficult operation in production of cassava is its harvesting, which is still not entirely mechanized. Partial mechanization in cassava harvesting hampers productivity, causing yield losses. Thus, it is essential to address the issues concerning labour intensive methods, equipment accessibility and post-harvest difficulties for sustainable agricultural development. A cassava stem harvester needs to be developed as an attachment to an existing cassava digger. The design of an efficient cassava stem harvester requires optimization of blade and operational parameters. To optimize the operational parameters, an experimental cassava stem harvester was developed to investigate the effect of forward speed and peripheral velocity of cutter blade on torque and cutting index of cutter blade. The forward speed and peripheral velocity of blade showed a profound effect on cutting performance of rotary blade. The treatment with a combination of 0.55 m s^-1 forward speed and 30 m s^-1 peripheral velocity yielded the minimum torque (0.31 N m) and best quality of cut cassava stem, and was selected for the development of a prototype tractor operated cassava stem harvester.