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HARVEST LOSSES OF WHEAT CROP
*Ashique Ali Chohan1, Mahmood Laghari2, Hafeez-ur-Rehman Mangio2, Nadir Ali Rajput1
1
Faculty of Agriculture Engineering, Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Pakistan
2
Department of Energy and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture Engineering, Sindh Agriculture
University Tando Jam, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: [email protected],
Article Received: 22-06-2021, Revised 06-08-2021, Accepted 10-08-2021
ABSTRACT
Harvest losses (10-30%) in wheat represents one of the major factors affecting grain yield. these losses may be
during harvesting and/or threshing operations. Although combined harvester is gaining popularity however, In most
parts of Pakistan, wheat crop is still manually harvested and then mechanically threshed. Therefore, the current
study was conducted on Latif farm of Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam to evaluate the harvest losses during
the manual harvesting and threshing operations in wheat. Three popular wheat varieties (SKD-1, TJ-83 & KIRAN-
95) were selected for this study. Wheat crop was manually harvested and then harvest losses were estimated by
harvest losses were estimated on the basis of collection and analysis of leftover / spilled earth head in the freshly
harvested field. Threshing losses were estimated by calculating the proportions of broken, unbroken grains and
unthreshed ear heads. The study focused on harvesting and threshing operations and their impacts on crop
production. The study depicted that harvesting operation was performed manually and threshing by tractor threshing
charges were 05 and 10 percent of the crop production respectively while harvesting losses were high at the time of
16 percent due to over drying and unskilled labors used in the field. Technological advancements in agriculture
machinery led to reduce the harvesting and threshing losses and therefore, the study suggested that necessary steps
of mechanized operation may be taken for minimizing the losses.
Keywords: Post harvest, wheat crop, harvesting, threshing,
INTRODUCTION winnowing (Khan, 1979; Pirzado et al., 2021b). One of
Pakistan is the eighth largest producer of wheat in the greatest challenges of the 21st century will be to
the world and wheat is one of the most important food feed world’s population, because food resources are
crops in Pakistan. If we look into Pakistan’s conditions, limited, and the world population is increasing at an
agriculture is the mainstay of its economy. It alarming rate. About 10 to 30% of total world grain
contributes about 32% to the gross nation product and production is lost after harvest (Gangwar et al., 2014).
accounts for 57% of its live hood. In Pakistan, it Because of inefficient handling, inadequately
achieved the largest share of total farm area under implemented post-harvest technologies. If these losses
cultivation and accounts 1.7% of Pakistan's GDP. As a are eliminated by applying an integrated system
staple food crop of Pakistan, wheat crop meets major approach, which combines engineering, economics and
proportion of calories and protein (82%) intake in its biological principles, the world food supply can be
various forms (GOP, 2018). In spite of important cereal increased by 10 to 30 % using very few additional
crop wheat suffers 10 to 18% loss every year during basic resources (land, water, and capital) and energy
harvesting, threshing and storage. Out of which 2 to consumption. To protect resources and ensure
6% losses are due to improper threshing techniques sufficient food supplies for the world population,
(Sheikh et al., 1980). Threshing is a major post-harvest development in post-harvest technologies provide
operation. It is the process of detaching or removing considerable opportunities for scientists and engineers.
grains from the plants by treading, striking or rubbing. Harvest losses (i.e harvesting and threshing) represent
Separating and cleaning of grain from straw and chaff the most important harvest attribute. These losses not
is also a part of threshing operation (Choudhry et al., only reduced the farmer’s profit by reducing the
1983; Kumar et al., 2021). Previously threshing of average yield and quality of wheat grains but also
wheat was done manually by dragging a “mahlah” reduces the level of nitrogen from soil system (Ibanez
behind animals as there was no mechanical thresher et al., 2014; Jones and Dalal, 2017; Sarfraz et al.,
available. This was a time consuming and difficult 2020). Few studies reported the losses of wheat crop
operation. Usually, the threshing season was late for during harvesting operations (Prabhakar, 2000; Gadge,
about 1 ½ month and unpredictable weather conditions 2004). Therefore, keeping in mind the importance and
at that time necessitates threshing in a short time. In necessity of harvesting and threshing of wheat crop, the
that method of threshing losses usually occur during present study was focused for assessment of post-
harvest losses of wheat crop.
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J. Qual. Assur. in Agri. Sci. Vol. 1(1), 22-29, 2021 Chohan et al., 2021
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Fig. A site map of experimental field at Latif farm of Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam
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SKD-1 variety proved better in harvesting losses as showed that the total harvesting losses of wheat grain
compared to TJ-83 and KIRAN-95 varieties. was 16% of the total cultivated area. The results of
The harvesting losses in experimental study area under harvesting losses are in line with Ahmed and Afzal
three varieties (SKD- 1, TJ-83, and KIRAN-95) are (1984). They reported that in Pakistan harvesting and
shown in table 5. The maximum total harvesting losses threshing losses are at the time 13.2%. The preliminary
were produced by TJ- 83 (0.076 kg / ), followed by data of threshing losses in different wheat variety are
KIRAN – 95 (0.062 kg / ). The minimum total shown in table 7. Six samples were collected randomly
harvesting losses were obtained by SKD- 1 variety during thrashing the approximate sample weight wheat
(0.055kg / ). The maximum loss per acres was was 400g after the interval of 20 minutes and also from
straw which was approximately 300g. The maximum
produced in TJ- 83 (307.572 kg), followed by KIRAN -
percentage of broken grain, unthreshed grain and grain
95 (250.914 kg) and the minimum loss per acre was
in straw was recorded 0.64%, 0.11% and 0.88%
obtained by SKD- 1 variety (222.585 kg), the mean
followed by KIRAN-95 (0.76). The minimum total loss
loss value of three varieties were 260.357 kg/ acre.
0.75% was obtained by SKD- 1 variety. Overall results
Overall harvesting charges and losses on university
of threshing wheat crop on Latif farm showed that
farm are shown in table 6. The data indicated that
machines and operators’ performance was found
harvesting charges of 80 kg per acre provided to
satisfactory. The mean percentage value of broken
private sector, the total crop production was 10554 md
grain was recorded 0.06% and the mean percentage
and the cost of the production at the rate of R.s 1200
value of un-threshed grain was 0.086% from the
become 12665 million total harvesting charges on 260
sample of 400g. The mean percentage value of grain in
acres at the rate of 80 kg per acre was R.s 0.624
straw was 0.11% from the sample of 400g.
million, the percentage of harvesting charges on total
cultivated area (260acre) was 05%. The data further
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Total cost of
loss per acre
losses in Rs.
Total loss in
under wheat
Rs.1200/md
charges Rs.
charges per
Harvesting
Harvesting
crop (acre)
production
production
260 ac (kg
harvesting
harvesting
harvesting
Total crop
Total area
at the rate
charge in
losses on
acre (kg)
Cost of
Total
Total
Total
(md)
(kg)
(%)
%
Rs.12665380/= 624000/=
80 260 10554 (12. 665 0.624 05 260.35 67692.82 20,30,784.6 16
million) million
Variet
Grain in straw
Broken grain Un threshing Total loss (%)
y
s
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Table 9. Summary of harvesting and threshing charges and losses of wheat crop
The mean percentage of total threshing losses was that harvesting losses produced by skilled and unskilled
0.79%. the threshing results revealed that TJ- 83 labors was recorded as 16% while threshing losses was
variety gave maximum broken grain loss of 0.64% in acceptable range (below one percent). The present
followed by KIRAN-95 (0.59%) while in un-threshed study suggests that necessary steps be taken by
grain loss TJ – 83 gave maximum 0.11% loss followed minimizing the harvesting and threshing charges
by SKD-1 (0.08%). While considering the loss in through mechanization as to save production losses of
straw, TJ- 83 gave maximum 0.13% loss followed by wheat crop.
SKD-1 and KIRAN-95 (0.10%). The overall results The results are in line with Ali and Khalid, (2015) and
also showed that TJ -83 gave maximum 0.88 % loss Kumar et al. (2017) they reported that grain losses
followed by KIRAN-95 (0.76%). The threshing results during conventional harvesting was above 7% and 19
revealed that mean loss of 0.79% is within the % respectively. The result further confirmed the
acceptable range due to proper functioning of threshing statement of Ali and Khalid, (2015) they reported that
machine. if machine is properly set for operation during
The table 8 shows the threshing losses of wheat threshing of wheat crop the threshing losses would
varieties (SKD-1, TJ-83 and KIRAN-95). The mean come below one present. The results are also in line
percentage value of broken grain was recorded 0.06% withManzoor et al. 2020) they reported that post-
and the mean percentage value of un-threshed grain harvest losses of wheat in Pakistan is 5- 16% which
was 0.086% from the sample of 400g. The mean greatly depends on the experience of skilled and
percentage value of grain in straw was 0.11% from the unskilled labor involve in harvesting and threshing
sample of 400g. The mean percentage of total threshing operations. They also mention that among total post-
losses was 0.79%. the threshing results revealed that harvest losses, 9.5% occurred during storage period
TJ- 83 variety gave maximum broken grain loss of and remaining 13.2% during harvesting and threshing.
0.64% followed by KIRAN-95 (0.59%) while in un- CONCLUSION
threshed grain loss TJ – 83 gave maximum 0.11% loss It is concluded from the above results that average
followed by SKD-1 (0.08%). While considering the harvesting losses in manual harvesting of three wheat
loss in straw, TJ- 83 gave maximum 0.13% loss varieties was 16% which could be reduced by
followed by SKD-1 and KIRAN-95 (0.10%). The mechanized harvesting. Furthermore, the harvesting
overall results also showed that TJ -83 gave maximum charges and time consumption in manual harvesting is
0.88 % loss followed by KIRAN-95 (0.76%). The also higher as compared with mechanized harvesting or
threshing results revealed that mean loss of 0.79% is combined harvesting and threshing. Therefore, it is
within the acceptable range due to proper functioning suggested that mechanized harvesting should be
of threshing machine. promoted for wheat harvesting operations in order to
minimize harvest losses and also time saving.
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