Author(s): Jemal Nur

Abstract: Groundnut stripping is necessary process subsequent harvesting because of pods are attached to most of low acreage groundnut growers. Manually groundnut pod stripping is time consuming and drudgery on farmers. The aim of this study was adoption, evaluation and fabrication easily affordable groundnut stripping machine. The machine operated by diesel engine capacity of 3.75 KW motor. The performance evaluation of machine was conducted on two-moisture content groundnut vine and three engine operating speed with three replication. Maximum threshing or stripping capacity of machine recorded as 501 kg per hour. The maximum and minimum stripping efficiencies of 98.2% to 94.7% produced by wet groundnut vine (60% moisture content) or stripping immediately after harvest with drum speed of 400 rpm and dry (17.5% moisture content) stripping with 600 rpm operating speed respectively. Both Moisture content of ground vine and operating speed had significant effect on stripping rate and percentage of unstripped pod. Maximum stripping rate (SR) and percentage unstripped pod (PUSP) of a machine was recorded by dry stripping with drum speed of 600 and 400 rpm respectively. While minimum SR and PUSP recorded at wet groundnut vine stripping with drum speed of 200 and 600 rpm correspondingly. Generally, it can be conclude that drying before stripping resulted in best output (total stripped pod) with (400-rpm) beater speed when compared with threshing immediate at harvest. More over drying after harvest with drum speed (SIII) stripping produce the highest stripping rate though it resulted in high pod scattering, percentage of unstripped pod and chaff and impurity. In terms of Economic benefits machine 15.67 times over manual or hand pulled with the same operation (stripping per 3 mans per day). Therefore, further promoting and expanding the machine can reduces work drudgery and time consuming of groundnut pod by hand pulling under smallholder’s future.

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