Comparative study between manual and mechanical methods of harvesting sugar beet crop [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Three sugar beet harvesting methods namely: traditional, chisel plow and sugar beet harvester were deduced and compared using two different planting methods. Experiments were carried out as a function of change in harvesting speed and soil moisture content to determine field capacity and efficiency, lifting efficiency, total crop losses, power and energy consumed, and total cost requirements for harvesting sugar beet crop. The results indicated that, the maximum field capacity and efficiency was 0.920 fed/h and 85.57 % obtained under mechanical planting and sugar beet harvester, compared with manual method which recorded 0.699 fed/h and 84.26 %, respectively. The maximum lifting efficiency and minimum total losses were 93.98 % and 8.31 % obtained under mechanical planting and sugar beet harvester, compared with manual method which recorded 92.73 % and 10.39 %, respectively. The minimum power and energy consumed was 23.72 kW and 36.15 kW.h/fed obtained under mechanical planting and sugar beet harvester, compared with manual method which recorded 24.67 kW and 46.34 kW.h/fed, respectively. The minimum total cost for harvesting sugar beet crop was 706.4 L.E/fed obtained under mechanical planting and sugar beet harvester, compared with manual method which recorded 738.9 L.E/fed.

Summary in Arabic.

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