1Division of Agricultural Mechanization, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal-462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India
2Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhopal Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal-462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India
*Corresponding Author: Naveen Kumar Telangi, Division of Agricultural Mechanization, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal-462 038, Madhya Pradesh, India, Email: naveenkumart169@gmail.com
Online Published on 30 March, 2026.
Information on the mechanical properties of chickpea plants and their changes with moisture content and stem diameter is highly needed to design agricultural equipment such as harvesters, threshers, hoppers, chutes, etc.
The experiments were conducted at 17.44, 15.33 and 13.13% levels of moisture content and 5-6×10-3, 7-8×10-3 and 9-10×10-2 m levels of stem diameter to measure properties such as cutting energy, cutting force, specific cutting energy and bending force of chickpea plant in rabi season during 2022-2023.
The range of cutting energy of chickpea plants was found to be 0.39 to 7.48 J for 6×10-3 to 1×10-2 m stem diameter with blade velocity of 4.57 to 1.66 ms-1 at 13.33 to 17.44% moisture content. The cutting force of chickpea plants varied from 65 to 748 N for 6×10-3 to 1×10-2 m stem diameter with blade velocity of 4.57 to 1.66 ms-1 at 13.33% to 17.44% moisture content. On ther other side the specific energy was found to be 0.0106 to 0.1219 J mm-2 for 6×10-3 to 1×10-2 m stem diameter at 13.13 to 17.44% moisture content. The bending force of chickpea plants was found in the range 1.25 to 27.28 N for 6×10-3 to 1×10-2 m stem diameter at 17.44 to 13.13% moisture content.
Bending force, Cutting energy, Cutting force, Specific cutting energy
