Performance and economic analysis of onion harvesters: A comparison of tractor-mounted digger–collector combination and self-propelled integrated harvester

초록

Mechanization rate of onion harvesting remains low due to labor shortages and high costs. Efficient and economical mechanization strategies should be explored. This study compared performance and economic feasibility of a tractor-mounted digger–collector (Scenario 1) and a self-propelled harvester (Scenario 2). Performance was evaluated by work efficiency, loss, damage, and foreign-matter rates, while economic analysis classified costs into unit-area cost and total cost according to machine operating period and cultivated area. Scenario 2 outperformed Scenario 1, with a field capacity of 0.094 ha·h-1, a loss rate of 0.58%, and a damage rate of 4.52%, compared with 0.067 ha·h-1, 5.44%, and 22.9% for Scenario 1. However, the foreign matter rate of Scenario 2 (4.50%) was higher than that of Scenario 1 (1.24%). In the economic analysis, Scenario 2 reduced unit-area costs by up to 69.5% owing to the lower initial investment, higher operational efficiency, and reduced losses. Moreover, even as the machine operating period and cultivated area increased, Scenario 2 maintained lower costs with a smaller rate of increase. In conclusion, the self-propelled harvester exhibited greater potential for field application than the separate system in terms of operational efficiency and economic feasibility. However, the curing process, which may affect storability, was not considered and should be addressed in future studies.

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