A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE MOST WIDELY HARVESTING SYSTEMS FOR WHEAT CROP IN EGYPT

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out at the experimental field of Rice Mechanization Center, Meet El-Deeba, Kafer El-Sheikh Governorate during harvesting season of 2007.Five of the most widely wheat harvesting systems were studied on the widely common wheat cultivar (Sakha93): multi-purpose combine harvester, through in combine harvester, hold in combine harvester, Reaper + thresher and double knives mounted mower + thresher to recommend the appropriate system for harvesting wheat crop. The systems were evaluated according to the technical parameters: actual performance rate, field efficiency; cutting efficiency, cleaning efficiency; percentage of the total losses and consumed energy, according to (RNAM 1995) and according to the financial criteria. Overall cost criterion was used to evaluate the tested wheat harvesting systems. The results showed that the combine harvester realized the highest actual performance rate (3.06 fed./h) at all the tested forward and threshing speeds compared with the other studied systems. The highest field efficiency (94.3%) was obtained from the 4 th system and the 5 th system. The highest cutting efficiency (94.3%) was conducted by hold in combine harvester. The highest cleaning efficiency ( 98.7%) resulted from 4 th and 5 th systems at threshing drum speed 35.34 m/s. The lowest percentage of total grain losses averaged (2.27%) resulted from the 3 ed system. The lowest consumed energy per fed. and per ton was achieved by multipurpose combine harvester. The lowest significant total cost (85.72 LE/h) resulted from 4 th system. The overall cost criterion (LE/fed.) was observed from harvesting systems; it includes actual performance rates, consumed energy, cost of total losses grain, and total costs. The lowest value is considered the most appropriate from operation of multi-purpose combine harvester. * Assist . Prof., Ag. Eng. Dept. , Fac . of Ag., Cairo University.