Cuphea Seed Yield Response to Harvest Methods Applied on Different Dates

Abstract

Cuphea, Cuphea viscosissima Jacq. × C. lanceolata W.T. Aiton, is a new crop that produces seed containing oil rich in mediumchain fatty acids. Because cuphea has an indeterminate growth habit, timing of harvest is diffi cult to determine. Th e objective of this study was to determine the optimum harvest time and technique for maximizing seed yield. Th is research was conducted at Prosper, ND, in 2005 and 2006; Carrington, ND, in 2005; and Morris, MN, in 2005 and 2006. Th e experimental factors were four harvest treatments, direct-nondesiccated (DND), direct-desiccated (DD), swathed (SW), and desiccated-swathed (DSW) applied on three diff erent dates ( D1, D2, and D3). Maximum seed moisture was 544 g kg −1 , but seed moisture decreased 181 g kg −1 as the harvest date was delayed for the DND-harvest treatment. Seed moisture reduction for the SW-harvest treatment compared with the DND-harvest treatment was 216 g kg −1 for D1. Swathing would be a better method than direct harvest or desiccation to reduce seed moisture at harvest. Th e harvested seed yields were not signifi cantly diff erent (P ≤ 0.05) among the DND-, DD-, and SW-harvest treatments. Harvested seed yield reduction was observed only for the DSW-harvest treatment. Swathing is also acceptable since no signifi cant seed yield reduction was observed. Based on the returns aft er harvest treatments, the DND-harvest treatment may be the most cost eff ective method to harvest cuphea seeds; however, it is not the most practical due to clogging of harvesting equipment, which slows down harvest.

Lifecycle Duration and Maturity Heterogeneity of Jatropha curcas Linn

“…The whole of the accessions showed that fruits mature at the bottom of the stem or branches while young immature fruit bunches and or flower or new buds were developing at the top of the plant. Determinate and indeterminate characters are described clearly by Berti et al (2008) in cuphea crop and soybean (Bruns, 2009). If this natural phenomenon is taken into account for the argument relating to harvesting recommendation, we believe that more information is still required for practical harvesting and post-harvest handling recommendations.…”