Sjemenarstvo, Vol. 12 No. 2-3, 1995.
Original scientific paper
ALFALFA SEED LOSSES AND QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY PRESENCE OF WEED SPECIES DURING PROCESSING
Vesna Čajić
; Poljoprivredni institut Osijek
Mirko Stjepanović
; Poljoprivredni institut Osijek
Abstract
This paper presents the data on alfalfa seed losses during processing, as well as on the seed quality after processing. The investigation included seven seed lots classified according to the area of its origin, the overall quantity amounting to 58.683 kg. The portion of weed seed before processing ranged from 0,15 to 6,04%. Depending on the origin, the number of weed species ranged from 5 to 17. Among the weed seed that hardly separates from alfalfa seed we have found: Cuscuta spp., Rumex spp., Plantago lanceolata, Amaranthus retroflexus, Myosotis arvensis, Polygonum lapathifoIium, Setaria spp. and Sorghum spp. The machines for the processing were: air-screen cleaner and magnetic separator. During processing, 20,4% of alfalfa seed in mean was separated as useless (air-screen cleaner - 14,69%; magnetic separator - 5,71% ) and 10.211kg, respectively, corresponding to the market value of approximately 40.000 DEM. The quantity of useless alfalfa seed was most affected by the presence of weed seed that hardly separates from alfalfa (r = 0,735), as well as by percentage share of weed in the seed before processing (r = 0,683). The portion of ueseless alfalfa seed on the grading machine was affected by the seed quantity (r = 0,704) and the number of weed species the hardly separate from alfalfa seed (r = 0,523), whereas for the magnetic separator, it was affected by the presence of weed seed that hardly separates from the seed of alfalfa (r = 0,723) and by the overall potion of weeds in the natural seed (r = 0,476).
Keywords
alfalfa; weed; processing,; seed looses
Hrčak ID:
167779
URI
Publication date:
29.4.1995.
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