MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL-SEED CROPS: MILLET, BROOMCORN MILLET, AND RAPESEED

Z P Wang, Jianguo ZHOU, Naishuo WEI, Zhang DEYI, Adilet Sugirbay, Yanwu Jiang, Jun CHEN

2026

Full text Open access: Gold Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.35633/inmateh-78-84
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

To provide fundamental data for the design and experimental evaluation of pneumatic precision seed metering devices for small-seed crops, the material characteristics of millet, broomcorn millet, and rapeseed were systematically investigated in this study. The moisture content, thousand-seed weight, density, principal dimensions, equivalent diameter, and angle of repose of the three seed types were determined through physical measurements. The Poisson’s ratios of millet, broomcorn millet, and rapeseed were measured using a universal testing machine and were found to be 0.27, 0.33, and 0.29, respectively. In addition, the static and dynamic friction coefficients between each seed type and acrylic, stainless steel, and resin surfaces were obtained. The elastic moduli of millet, broomcorn millet, and rapeseed were measured using a texture analyzer as 351.76, 589.14, and 133.37 MPa, respectively, which were closely related to seed density and structural characteristics. To further clarify the influence of seed–surface collision behavior on seed motion trajectories during the seed metering process, a high-speed imaging test system was established to determine the coefficients of restitution of seeds with moisture contents of 15%, 20%, and 25% after collision with different material surfaces. The results showed that the coefficient of restitution was significantly affected by seed moisture content and decreased markedly with increasing moisture content. Among the three seed types, the coefficient of restitution decreased in the order of broomcorn millet, millet, and rapeseed. For each seed type, the coefficient of restitution decreased sequentially for collisions with acrylic, stainless steel, resin, and the corresponding seed surface. These results provide important data support for the structural design and simulation analysis of pneumatic precision seed metering devices.