Authors

Abstract

Pod pepper is widely cultivated worldwide and serves diverse agricultural and industrial value. To reduce the loss and damage rate of mechanized harvesting of pod peppers, this study conducted multiple measurement ex-periments on the planting modes and biomechanical characteristics of pod peppers under different moisture contents. The experimental results are as follows: the average size of pod pepper fruit is 63.2 mm in length and 10.5 mm in diameter, the average density is 0.82×103 kg·m-3，and the elastic modulus is 9.6 MPa. The maximum tensile force required for detaching pod pepper stalks from stems is 13.85 N, and the average value is 11.62 N; whereas the maximum tensile force required for separating pepper fruit from stalk ranges from 16.0N to 35.0 N, indicating that the fruit-stalk connection is stronger than the stalk-stem connection. In addition, the moisture content has a significant effect on the biomechanical properties of pod peppers. Within a certain range, the compressive resistance of pod peppers increases first and then decreases with the decrease of moisture content.

Abstract in Chinese

朝天椒在世界范围内广泛种植，具有多种农业和工业功能。为了提高朝天椒的机械化收获性能，减少收获过程中的损失和损伤，本研究对朝天椒的种植模式和不同含水量下朝天椒的生物力学特性进行了实验研究。研究重点是量化果实大小、密度和弹性模量；探索朝天椒与钢板的接触系数；以及确定将朝天椒果实与其茎分离所需的拉力。本研究的结果将为朝天椒专用收获设备的设计提供基础数据。