Abstract. Low-level mechanization is one of the main reasons for the high costs in selection and primary seed production. Crop breeders use transport and loading facilities for seed material transporting in an unsystematic manner. (Research purpose) Development of technology of transport support in selection and seed production, including all transport and loading processes of the delivery of grain seeds from selection combines to storage facilities using containers for seed collection, transportation, drying, and storage. (Materials and methods) The authors have described a container flowtransport technology of selection grain harvesting at the stage of primary reproduction and developed a machine complex technology and a database of harvesting and transport machines for seed collection, transportation, drying, and storage. (Results and discussion) The authors have determined the type of transport and loading means for the container method of seed harvesting, transportation and storage recommended for use in selection and seed production. There are four distinctive novelty positions of the presented type: the ability to transport containers in 2 rows; increased loading height from 2 m to 3 m; maximum operating radius reaches 3.8 m (vs. 2.7 m); increased cargo capacity – by 460 kg. (Conclusions) The authors suggest using the developed methodology to improve the technological process of harvesting, transportation and postharvest processing of seed grain, organize this process, as well as select machine parameters and technical equipment on the farms of the Central region of Russia. It has been suggested that test prototypes of containers and a loader with a container tilter should be designed and manufactured for use in primary crop processing.

The main mechanization harvesting problems of Jerusalem artichoke tubers are revealed. The results of laboratory and fi eld studies of the conditions for the growth and separation of Jerusalem artichoke tubers from stems during harvesting are given. The average depth of occurrence of rhizomes in the soil is 190-210 mm, their average mass is 6.09 kg. The degree of separation of tubers from the rhizome with a single dynamic effect (falling from the height of 1.5 m) accounts for 26.01%; the average effort to tear tubers from the bush or stolons is 4.40 ... 12.42 ± 0.1 N. The complete removal of tubers from the rhizome is achieved by fi xing the stems and rhizomes in a stationary condition. The above efforts to tear the tubers were applied in the direction of both tearing them off and turning them at an angle of 90 ... 180 °. Effective mechanical and technological methods of separation of Jerusalem artichoke tubers from rhizome and stems are identifi ed. They consist of the combined effect of dynamic forces of the impact type, equivalent to a fall from the height of not less than 1.5 m, rotational at an angle 90 ... 180 ° and the tearing off effects on tubers of at least 12.42 N on the rhizome, tubers and stolons. The composition, arrangement, schemes and interaction of the harvesting machine working parts for autumn harvesting of Jerusalem artichoke are established. Innovative schemes and composition of the working parts of a harvesting machine for harvesting Jerusalem artichoke, based on an adapter to serial harvesting machines for potatoes, are proposed. Working parts of the harvesting machine include a pulling and supporting-conveying device as well as separating devices located above the separating elevator of the harvesting machine. The technology of operation of the working parts by the elements of the harvesting machine design is described.