Developing of a Prototype for Fiber Sorghum Harvesting

Abstract

Among the energy crops Fiber Sorghum is becoming an interesting one, due to its annual cycle and its high drought adaptability. Moisture content is around 75 - 80% at the harvest time and, in order to preserve the product for the whole year, it must be decreased under the 30%. An intensive conditioning is an important aspect in order to reach a humidity content such that to enable harvesting and storability in acceptable times. Within the Bio-energy project, CRA-ING, developed a prototype able to highly conditioning fiber sorghum and in collaboration with S.F.I.R and Co.Pro.B. Italia Zuccheri, conducted different experimental tests on Fiber Sorghum crops with different degree of growth, different moisture content and different harvesting times. During the 2007 and 2008 years, CRA-ING worked on the modification of the conditioning bars thickness of the prototype in order to obtain a good conditioning degree, avoiding the risk of product cutting off. The second year tests (summer 2008), in fact, showed the good performances of the prototype modifications. The results of the experimental tests on the fiber sorghum dehydration showed the possibility to reach the 25% of humidity in 5 days without windrow turning and 4 days turning the windrow the 3° day, in good climatic conditions.