Experimental research on shear mechanical properties of tomato stem

. In order to design a tomato stem crushing and bagging machine and also optimize its operational parameters, knowledge concerning the mechanical properties of harvest-ready tomato stems is required. The mechanical shear properties of the stems were studied by conducting a single-factor experiment, taking the blade angle, moisture content and sampling range as the experimental factors and the peak shear force as the evaluation indexes. The results showed that the blade angle had no significant effect on the mechanical shear properties of tomato stems, while the leaf water content and sampling location had significant effects on the mechanical shear properties of tomato stems. The largest peak force for cutting the tomato stem was observed in the middle of the sampling range, therefore a shear force greater than 411 N should be provided when designing the crushing device. At the same time, the machine should be used to harvest the tomato stalks as early as possible. The study will provide the necessary experimental data and theoretical basis for the development of an optimized tomato stem crushing and bagging machine.