Search

Mint is one of the most valuable herbs, and has multiple benefits and uses. The effect of cultivation methods on the biometric parameters of mint plants was determined by comparing a hydroponic system involving moveable flood tables with plastic covers and a raised-bed growing system in an open field. The morphometric parameters of mint plants may vary depending on species and cultivation method. An interaction between both factors was observed for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and the number of leaves. Spearmint and apple mint grown under field conditions were characterized by higher average values of plant height and width and a higher number of branches than hydroponically grown plants. In the hydroponic system, the number of branched stems decreased by up to 80% with increased plant height. Leaf width was correlated with the total number of leaves. An increase in the number of leaves per plant induced a decrease in leaf width (up to 61%). Field-grown mint is usually characterized by higher marketable and total yields than hydroponically grown mint. However, the marketable yield of apple mint was approximately 50% higher in the hydroponic system than in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of rye bran addition on the pelleting process of sage waste biomass, and the quality and energetic properties of fuel pellets. The pelleting process was conducted on an SS-4 test stand equipped with a P-300 pelletizer with flat die roller compactors. The addition of 20% rye bran reduced the pelletizer's power/energy consumption from 3.75 kW/107 kWh t−1 (0% rye bran content) to 3.19 kW/91 kWh t−1, decreased physical and bulk density, and increased the pellet durability index (PDI). The higher heating value—HHV (19.39 MJ kg−1 at 10% humidity) and the lower heating value—LHV (18.17 MJ kg−1) of sage waste biomass indicate that this plant material is highly suitable for heat generation. The addition of 20% rye bran decreased HHV by 2.07% and LHV by 2.67%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selected geometric properties of cauliflower heads cv. Gohan F1 were analyzed by building numerical models with the use of a 3D scanner. Geometric models of cauliflower heads were developed in ScanStudio HD PRO, FreeCAD, and MeshLab programs. Five geometric models describing the shape of cauliflower heads were generated with the use basic geometric figures and drawing tools in FreeCAD. The geometry of numerical models and geometric models was compared in GOM Inspect. The surface area, volume, and detailed geometric dimensions of the developed models were determined. The deviations in cauliflower dimensions calculated by geometric models were mapped. The surface area, volume, and geometric dimensions of cauliflower heads were most accurately represented by the model generated with the Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation (QECD) function. In this model, the relative error of surface area measurements did not exceed 5%, and the relative error of volume measurements did not exceed 4%. This model was also characterized by the smallest average maximum deviation (+) and the smallest average minimum deviation (-) which was estimated at 8%. The proposed geometric model can be used for research and design purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florets are the main edible parts of cauliflowers and broccoli, but stalks and leaves are also used in the production of vegetable soup mixes. In industrial processing lines, large cauliflower and broccoli inflorescences have to be separated into smaller florets with a diameter of 2 to 6 cm. Simple and inexpensive machines for floretting cauliflowers and broccoli, including devices that can be used in small-scale production, are in short supply on the market. Therefore, the aim of this study was to design a floretting machine composed of a load-bearing frame, a processing table, a crushing chamber and a horizontal conveyor. In the first stage of the process, one of the two conical knives is used to separate florets and leaves from stalks. The stalks fall into a container under the processing table, and the leaves are picked manually from the material on the table and are placed in a separate container. In the second stage, the separated florets are manually fed into the crushing chamber where larger florets are separated into smaller parts. The crushing.chamber is composed of a rotating crushing roller and a fixed screen at the bottom. Florets that have been cut into the appropriate size pass through the screen and fall onto a conveyor belt under the crushing chamber. The quality of the floretting process can be inspected visually by the operator, and impurities or excessively damaged florets can be removed from the conveyor belt. In the final stage, the separated florets are transported to a container. The designed machine can be operated directly on the farm; therefore, the resulting produce is fresher than products that are transported and separated in a food processing plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the friction plate hardness and surface orientation of a friction plate on the angle and coefficient of static friction of cereal kernels. The angle of static friction of kernels representing four major cereal species was measured on six friction plates with different hardness. The friction plates were placed in position where their surface orientation was perpendicular or parallel relative to their inclination tilt. The experimental material comprised the so-called flat seed units, where each unit consisted of three spaced kernels. The angle of static friction of every flat seed unit was measured with a dedicated device in three replications, and average values of that angle were calculated. The kernels' angle of static friction varied considerably from 13° to 33° within the analyzed range of changes in the surface characteristics of friction plates. The average angle of static friction was influenced mainly by the surface orientation of the friction plate that came into contact with cereal kernels. The angle of static friction was 17.5% to 56.5% higher when the friction plate had perpendicular rather than parallel surface orientation. The frictional properties of kernels were less influenced by plate hardness, and clear relationships were not observed in this respect. The kernels' coefficient of static friction remained fairly constant within the analyzed range of plate hardness values, and it was estimated at 0.4 on plates with a perpendicular surface orientation and at 0.3 on plates with a parallel surface orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted in the years 2017-2018 in the area of the Didactic and Experimental Centre, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. The experiment was set up in the randomised split block design, in three replicates. The first experimental factor was four winter cultivars of garlic (Allium sativum L.): 'Arkus', 'Harnaś', 'Mega', 'Ornak'. Within the scope of the second experimental factor, the effect of amino acid biostimulators Calleaf Aminovital and Maximus Amino Protect on the yield and quality of garlic was analysed. The control treatment comprised plots on which only water was applied. The objective of the study was to estimate selected morphological features of bulbs and the content of nutritional components of garlic cultivated with the use of biopreparations. The morphology and the nutritional composition of the edible part of garlic was estimated. Statistically significant impact of the cultivar on bulb mass and horizontal diameter and on the content of L-ascorbic acid and nitrates (V) in the edible part of garlic was demonstrated. Cultivar 'Ornak' was characterised by greater bulb mass (64.62 g), vertical and horizontal diameter (4.09 and 4.14 cm), dry matter content (38.0%) and concentration of reducing sugars (1.18 g 100 g-1 fresh matter). Lower bulb mass, height, content of total and reducing sugars and of nitrates (V) were determined in garlic cv. 'Arkus'. The cultivation of garlic plants with the use of the biostimulators had a significant effect on the number of cloves in a single bulb. The application of Calleaf Aminovital increased their number to an average of 6 clovesxplant-1. Interaction of garlic plants cv. 'Arkus' with Calleaf Aminowital significantly reduced the content of nitrates (V) in garlic relative to the remaining cultivation treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the correlations between the external friction angle of wheat kernels vs. the roughness of the friction plate and the basic physical properties of kernels. The average external friction angle ranged from 17° to 24°, and its value increased with an increase in surface roughness. The analyzed relationship was well described by a logarithmic function. The dimensions, mass, geometric mean diameter, aspect ratio, sphericity index and density of wheat kernels had practically no influence on the angle of external friction, which indicates that wheat kernels cannot be reliably sorted based on their frictional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]