Introduction to major field crops (1+1)

Harvesting and Threshing

It is necessary to harvest the pods at the right time for obtaining higher yields of pods and oil. Nut takes two months to attain full development. The important symptoms of maturity are yellowing of foliage, shedding of leaves, hardening and toughness of pods and dark tannin discolouration inside the shell. A fully matured pod is difficult to split easily with finger pressure.

Apart from pod loss during harvest, pre-mature or delayed harvest affects the quality and viability of the seeds. In general, spreading varieties are harvested between 140-145 days, the semi spreading between 120-135 days and bunch types between 90-110 days after sowing. Irrigations, if given to the crop, must be stopped at least 8-10 days before harvest.

The bunch and semi-spreading types are generally harvested by uprooting either by hand, bullock drawn blade harrows or by tractor-drawn diggers, while the spreading types are harvested by digging out the plants with the help of khurpi or spade or bullock drawn harrows. Leave the harvested crop in small heaps for 2-3 daysfor curing. Stripping of pods is done manually or by using comb type hand stripper or pedal-operated stripper.Pods should be dried, in sunlight for 3-4 days by spreading in a thin layer on a threshing floor. The proper drying of the produce may be judged by shaking the pods which should give rattling sound, when a kernel is pressed between the thumb and index finger, it should easily split into two cotyledons and when the surface of the kernel is rubbed hard a portion of the testa should come off.