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Table 9
Summary of key parameters and methods for evaluating seed loss and post-harvest quality in mechanised sesame harvesting.
| Parameter | Definition/measurement method | Sampling tools/conditions | Result expression |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actual Seed Yield (Yactual) | Total seed yield per unit area before machine harvest losses, determined by manual harvesting. | Harvest plants from ≥4 quadrats (e.g., 1 m2) per hectare. | kg ha−1 |
| Natural Shattering Loss (Snatural) | Seeds lost from capsules due to environmental factors before the combine passes. | Collect all fallen seeds/capsules from quadrats placed on the ground before harvest. | kg ha−1 |
| Header Loss (Sheader) | Seeds lost due to the impact and vibration of the combine’s header (reel, cutter bar). | Place collection trays on the ground to capture losses only from the header pass. | kg ha−1 |
| Threshing Loss (Sthreshing) | Seeds remaining in unthreshed or partially threshed capsules exiting the combine. | Collect and manually thresh capsules from the straw walker discharge. | kg ha−1 |
| Cleaning Unit Loss (Scleaning) | Viable seeds lost from the rear of the combine with the chaff due to airflow/sieve issues. | Collect and sieve the material discharged from the cleaning shoe. | kg ha−1 |
| Seed Loss | The percentage of each loss type relative to the actual seed yield. | Calculated as:% Loss =(Sx/Yactual) × 100, where Sx is an individual loss component. | % |
| Seed Release Efficiency | The proportion of seeds successfully threshed from capsules by the combine. | Compare seed count in handthreshed reference capsules vs. machine-harvested capsules. | % |
| Seed Damage | The proportion of mechanically broken or cracked seeds in the final harvested sample. | Visually inspect and weigh damaged vs. intact seeds from a representative tank sample (e.g., 100 g). | % |
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