Study on The Uprooting Force for Cassava Harvesting

Harvesting of cassava is still mostly done manually by pulling cassava stems that are ready to be harvested. This study aimed to determine the amount of force required to pull cassava stems. The research was conducted on farmer's land in Bandar Agung Village, Bandar Sakti District, Central Lampung Regency. A sample of 50 cassava trees was selected to represent the center and four edges of 1-ha area sizing of 50-m x 200-m. Measurement of the pulling force of cassava was carried out using a winch supported by a triangular frame of iron pipe and equipped with a 100-kg chicken scale and rope. Parameters included force to uproot cassava stem, soil moisture content, soil hardness, stem circumference, plant height, and cassava tuber weight. The results showed that the uprooting force of cassava stem ranged from 20 kg (196 N) to 70 kg (686 N) with an average of 44.9 kg (440.2 N). The results also showed that the pulling force of cassava decreased with increasing soil moisture content with a range between 196 kN at soil moisture 15,9% and 686 kN at soil moisture 10%. Factors of plant height, stem circumference, and tuber weight also had a positive effect on the pulling force of cassava.Pemanenan singkong masih banyak dilakukan secara manual dengan menarik atau mencabut batang ubi kayu yang sudah siap panen. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui besarnya gaya yang diperlukan untuk mencabut batang ubi kayu. Penelitian dilakukan di lahan petani di Desa Bandar Agung, Kecamatan Bandar Sakti, Lampung Tengah. Sampel ubi kayu sebanyak 50 pohon dipilih untuk mewakili bagian tengah dan empat pinggir pada tanah seluas satu hektar berukuran panjang 200 m dan lebar 50 m. Pengukuran gaya pencabutan ubi kayu dilakukan menggunakan kerekan yang ditopang rangka kaki tiga dari pipa besi dan dilengkapi dengan timbangan ayam 100 kg dan tali. Parameter yang diamati meliputi gaya pencabutan batang ubi kayu, kadar air tanah, tahanan penetrasi tanah (soil penetration resistance), lingkar batang, tinggi tanaman, berat umbi singkong. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa gaya pencabutan ubi kayu berkisar dari 20 kg (196 N) hingga 70 kg (686 N). Hasil penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa gaya pencabutan ubi kayu naik dengan turunnya kadar air tanah dengan kisaran 196 kN pada kadar air tanah 15,9% hingga 686 kN pada kadar air tanah 10%. Faktor tinggi tanaman, lingkar batang, dan bobot umbi juga berpengaruh positif terhadap kenaikan gaya pencabutan ubi kayu