Utilization of Narrow Stripper Paddles Throughout Harvest Season

Alan D. Brashears


 
ABSTRACT

Studies in 1982 and 1983 indicated the percentage of sticks in bur cotton could be reduced by reducing the width of the paddles on a brush roll cotton stripper. With the reduction in stick content there was also a reduction in the number of barky grades. These two studies were conducted late in the harvest season when the cotton plant was very dry.

The 1984 study was conducted and harvested on 3 dates with the initial harvest immediately after frost. The object of the study was to determine if the narrow paddles could be used early in the year when the plant was green and maintain harvest efficiency and stick reduction with the narrow paddles. The narrow paddle width was 1/2-inch compared to a normal paddle width of 1 1/2 inches For this study stripper rolls were synchronized to operate paddle to paddle.

Bur cotton yields, lint yield and turnout were not affected by the narrow paddles. The narrow paddles increased harvest loss less than 1%. Trailer samples indicated stick content of bur cotton was significantly reduced by the 1/2-inch paddle. The 27% reduction in stick content by the 1/2-inch paddle is similar to the reduction observed during the 1982 and 1983 tests. The last harvest date had significantly more sticks than the first 2 harvest dates due to drier plant conditions. Burs and fine trash were not significantly affected by harvest date or harvest method. Total trash increased with the later harvest dates but decreased for the narrower paddle width.

Fine trash in seed cotton at the feeder apron was also significantly reduced by the shorter paddles. None of the other foreign material fractions were affected by either harvest date or harvest method.

HVI data from the USDA cotton classing office indicated that grade index, before and after cleaning, reflectance, before and after cleaning and yellowness were significantly affected by harvest date. Staple, mike, strength, trash, length, and uniformity ratio were not. Affected by the harvest dates. Harvest method- did not significantly affect any of the HVI parameters. Grades were not reduced due to bark for any of the cotton after 2 lint cleaners. Prior to lint cleaning 2/3 of the samples harvested on the last date with the 1 1/2-inch paddle were reduced due to bark while 1/3 of the samples harvested with the 1/2-inch paddle were reduced due to bark. This is a reduction of 50% in the number of barky grades and similar to findings in previous research.

No significant differences were found in visible waste, invisible waste, and total nonlint due to paddle length or harvest date. The trend for these values were to decrease for the later harvest dates and the narrower paddle length widths.



Reprinted from 1986 Proceedings: Beltwide Cotton Production Research Conferences pg. 435
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998