FACTORS AFFECTING CUCURBITA-PEPO CROP SEED LOSSES AND DAMAGE BY USING A SEED EXTRACTING MACHINE PROTOTYPE

Ninety seven percent of seed extracting of cucurbita crops are accomplished by manual methods.  Many Workers are needed for one feddan which costing to much money. Consequently, increasing the production cost and reducing the farmer’s profit. Increasing the planted area of cucurbita crops requires increase of the propelled seed extractors, with high capacity. The present study is conducted to study the effective factors on cucurbita pepo crop seeds damage and losses by using seed extracting prototype. (Common names: cucurbita pepo L, pumpkin, vegetable marrow, summer pumpkin, autumn pumpkin) In addition the physical and mechanical properties of cucurbita fruits and seeds were studied. The results revealed that the seed-extracting machine operated successfully under field conditions. The combination of 0.116Mg/min  feed rate, 2.48m/s drum speed,15 mm drum-concave clearance and six days time span after harvesting achieved the minimum values of seed damage. The feed rate of 0.116Mg/min, drum speed of 3.38 m/s, drum-concave clearance of 5 mm, the extracting cylinder – curved plate clearance 5mm, rotational speed of separating sieve 25 rpm and extracting time after six days achieved the minimum value of seed losses (4.1%).