Studies on biometric properties of lathyrus crop and energy analysis of developed lathyrus harvester

Abstract

Grass pea or Lathyrus sativus L., is a herbaceous annual plant with a high-branched, ascending, or straggling form. It has a well-developed taproot system, and the rootlets are covered with tiny, cylindrical, branching nodules. Lathyrus crop is the third most important cool-season pulse crop of India, occupying an area of 0.58 million ha with an annual production of 0.43 million tones. The knowledge of physical and engineering properties of the crop plays an important role while designing of different agricultural machines. The physical properties such as plant height stem diameter, number or branches/ plant, number of pods and seeds/ pant, crop density/m2 of prateek variety along with important engineering properties such as bulk density, true density, angle of repose and crushing resistance were determined. Also energy required by tractor, implement, human and fuel was calculated as indirect and direct source of energy and total energy required was found to be 872 MJ ha-1.