IMPROVEMENT OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS OF POTATO HARVESTING IN THE CONDITIONS OF AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES OF SMALL FORMS OF MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The harvesting of potatoes poses a substantial challenge for agricultural enterprises, particularly those of smaller scale, as it accounts for a significant portion of labour costs, constituting approximately 60% in such settings. This process also entails considerable energy expenditures. Mechanized harvesting, while efficient, contributes to a noteworthy percentage of damage to potato tubers. Studies reveal that approximately 20% of the gross tuber collection is subjected to injury during mechanized harvesting, subsequently leading to losses in storage. Another source of losses during mechanized harvesting stems from tubers that remain unexcavated and fail to surface. Depending on various factors, the percentage of tuber losses can fluctuate between 5% and 16%. Based on statistics spanning the last three years, it is evident that small-scale agricultural enterprises typically cultivate potato crops within a range of one to ten hectares. Consequently, the application of combine technology for potato harvesting within these enterprises is deemed impractical, both from a technical and economic standpoint. The unsuitability of combine technology stems not only due to the absence of tractors equipped with the required traction class for integrating with potato harvesters, but also because many of these farms commonly rely on tillers of various capacities instead of tractors. Consequently, it is customary for such agricultural enterprises to employ potato diggers as the preferred method for harvesting potato tubers. This article scrutinizes the technical aspects of potato tuber harvesting in small-scale agricultural enterprises, focusing on their distribution within the technological process. Theoretical investigations have been conducted to determine the optimal diameter of disk knives. Additionally, studies explored the impact of the disk knives' axis location relative to the toe of the ploughshare on the qualitative aspects of the potato digger's performance. The research identified the rational departure of the disk knives' axis in relation to the ploughshare toe. Furthermore, the depth of travel of the disk knives was examined to ascertain its influence on the unit's quality indicators, resulting in the determination of the optimal depth. The article concludes by quantifying the reduction in potato tuber losses achieved through the utilization of a potato digger equipped with the proposed disk knives and their specified parameters.