R. POLAT1, C. AYDIN2 and B. EROL AK3
1 Harran University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Agricultural Machinery, 63040 Sanliurfa, Turkey
2 Selcuk University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Agricultural Machinery, 42031 Konya, Turkey
3 Harran University, Agricultural Faculty, Department of Horticultural Science, 63040 Sanliurfa, Turkey
POLAT, Refik, Cevat AYDIN and Bekir EROL AK, 2007. Some physical and mechanical properties of pistachio nut. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 13: 237-246
In this study, some mechanical and physical properties of pistachio nut and its kernel (Pistacia vera L.) grown in South East Anatolia region were determined. Physical and mechanical properties of pistachio nut and its kernel such as dimensions, weight, thickness, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, bulk density, porosity, projected area, fruit mass, terminal velocity and static coefficient of friction were evaluated as functions of moisture content. Some physical properties of pistachio nut and its kernel such as average length, width, thickness, the geometric mean diameter, unit mass, projected area, sphericity, porosity, true density, bulk density and terminal velocity were evaluated as functions of moisture content. At a moisture content of 7.1% (w.b.) these values for pistachio nut fruit were found as 19.6, 10.1, 11.3, 13.0 mm, 1.24 g, 132.6 mm2, 82 %, 64 %, 1109.8 kg/m3, 488.2 kg/m3 and 5.81 m/s respectively. The corresponding values for pistachio nut kernel were 15.7, 7.3, 7.9, 9.6 mm, 0.56 g, 47.7 mm2, 81 %, 38 %, 1076.2 kg/m3, 508.5 kg/m3 and 6.26 m/s respectively. In addition, the static coefficient of friction of pistachio nut and its kernel were evaluated as functions of moisture content. The static coefficient of friction of pistachio nut and its kernel was highest for rubber and least for galvanized metal at the two different moisture content.