M. FEYZOLLAHZADEH, A. M. NIKBAKHT and A. M. MOTLAGH
Urmia University, Urmia, Department of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agriculture, 165 Iran
FEYZOLLAHZADEH, M., A. M. NIKBAKHT and A. M. MOTLAGH, 2015. Investigation of the effects of irrigation methods and nutrient treatments on the mechanical properties of safflower seed. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 21: 1216–1221
A comprehensive investigation of effects of irrigation systems and nutrient treatments on mechanical properties of IL111 varieties of safflower seeds (Carthamus tinctorius L.) have been fulfilled. Rupture force, deformation at rupture point, hardness, energy used for rupture and modulus of elasticity were measured in order to get an exact picture of the properties of seeds. Cutting off irrigation in the reproductive growth stage resulted in lower rupture point values while seeds grown with the conventional irrigation system were of more rupture point. The least value of modulus of elasticity was measured to be 66.53 MPa for no cutting off irrigation and combination of nutrient treatments. The similar trend was observed for hardness of seeds. It was proved that the application of organic fertilizers for safflower nutrient improved mechanical properties of seeds in comparison with the chemicals. Also, lower consumption of water in the several growth stages of the crop did not have negative effects on the mechanical attributes of seeds. This can be regarded promising due to the important effect of such attribute in machine designing.