Study on Physical Properties of Groundnut Cultivated in Andhra Pradesh for Design of Remote-Operated Groundnut Planter

Abstract

Physical properties of groundnut seeds play an important role in designing the cell size of seed metering device, the thickness of metering disc, the diameter of metering device and the design of seed hopper for the development of remote-operated groundnut planter. The present study describes the measurement of the physical properties of four groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties namely K-6 (Kadiri-6), Kadiri Lepakshi, Tag-24 (Trombay Akola Groundnut-24) and Dharani using standard measuring procedures. The results obtained for four varieties revealed that the seed length, width and thickness vary from 10.29 ± 1.11 to 17.52 ± 0.76 mm, 6.15 ± 0.39 to 9.51 ± 0.46 mm and 5.48 ± 0.33 to 8.59 ± 0.47 mm, respectively. The geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter and surface area varied from 7.39 ± 0.15 to 10.58 ± 0.36 mm, 7.87 ± 0.32 to 11.13 ± 0.45 mm, and 171.98 ± 6.89 to 352.21 ± 24.54 mm2, respectively. The Sphericity and Aspect Ratio varied from 55.51 ± 2.99 to 81.36 ± 6.87 % and 42.40 ± 4.16 to 77.82 ± 8.86 %, respectively. The Moisture Content (db.), bulk density, true density, porosity, hundred seeds weight and Angle of Repose for four different groundnut varieties are obtained as 5.25 to 10.45 %, 605.8 to 691.49 kg/m3, 1008.12 to 1123.4 kg/m3, 32.25 to 46.05 %, 30.485 to 45.62 g and 26.32 to 36.58º, respectively. The maximum values of axial dimensions were considered for design of seed metering device cell. The parameters of bulk density, test weight, and angle of repose were useful in the design of the seed hopper.