To address large geometric shape differences, poor ridge distribution straightness, and the uncertain spatial distribution of beet roots during the harvesting period, as well as damage caused by the inaccurate row correction detection mechanisms of combine harvesters, this study conducts a design analysis and performance tests of deviation information detection mechanisms based on the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy. The agronomic process of mechanized sugar beet production was analyzed, the geometric dimensions of root tubers under typical planting patterns of typical varieties in main sugar beet production areas were measured, and a three-dimensional geometric model of beet root tubers was established. A device for measuring ridge shape and root tuber distribution was designed, and agronomic parameters during the harvesting period, such as plant spacing, ridge height, unearthed height, and deviation distance of beet root tubers, were measured and analyzed. A spatial model of ridge shape and beet root tuber growth distribution on the ridge during harvesting was established. The overall structure of the deviation information detection mechanism was analyzed and designed, and the structural forms and key parameters of key mechanisms, such as left‒right swing detection and up‒down floating profiling, were designed on the basis of agronomic parameter analysis. Using the missed detection rate as the evaluation index, field performance tests of the deviation information detection mechanism were conducted. The results revealed that when the average forward speed of the harvester was 0.84 m/s, the average missed detection rate of the deviation information detection mechanism was 0.56%. This method has high adaptability and detection accuracy and achieves a high level of integration for agricultural machinery (detection spatial region of the detection mechanism) and agronomy (beet root distribution spatial region). This study provides a technical basis and methodological reference for improving the quality and efficiency of automatic row correction combined with harvesting operations for crops such as sugar beets.

To improve the quality and efficiency of peanut half-feed harvesting in clay hilly areas in South China and address problems such as excessive soil clumps, broken branches, and seedlings in pods, difficulty in cleaning impurities, and the need for manual picking owing to the high soil viscosity and easy hardening, a new half-feed peanut cleaning picker suitable for southern clay hilly areas, including its overall structure and transmission system, was designed. The picker can perform the operations of soil removal, clamping and conveying of seedlings, and orderly pod picking and pod gathering. The structural design of key components and the analysis and determination of key parameters were carried out. By adopting a crank rocker mechanism, a soil removal device was designed. A single-side chain clamping conveying device, which consists of a clamping chain, a pretightening spring, and a guide rail, was designed. A phase tangent configuration of opposite rollers was used to design a pod picking device. Thus, the functions of the half-feed peanut picker, such as cleaning and removing soil, smooth and reliable clamping and conveying, and flexible pod picking, were realized. The field test revealed that when the picking rate was greater than 97%, the soil removal pods drop rate was less than 10%, and the soil removal rate was greater than 50%. The performance indicators meet the design requirements. This study provides a technical reference for the research and development of clean picking technology for upright peanuts in the clay hilly areas of southern China.

To solve the problems of excessive soil lumps, broken branches and seedlings in pods and difficulty in removing impurities in the harvested pods of peanuts in the hilly areas of southern China, which is due to the high soil viscosity and easy hardening, and to improve the soil removal effect of the peanut half-feed pod picker in hilly areas of China, this article designed a half-feed peanut-cleaning picker suitable for southern clay hilly areas and provided a detailed introduction to the overall structure, working principle, and adjustment methods of various operating parameters. Through field measurement experiments, the influencing factors and laws of soil removal performance indicators, such as the comprehensive soil removal rate and POD drop rate, were studied. The results showed that the comprehensive soil removal rate gradually increased with increasing soil patting frequency, soil patting amplitude, and picking roller speed, first increased and then decreased with increasing picking roller gap and gradually decreased with increasing soil patting plate gap and clamping conveyor chain speed. The comprehensive soil removal rate of the soil patting plate using the opposite patting method was greater than that of the swinging patting method. The soil removal pod drop rate increased gradually with increasing soil patting frequency and amplitude and decreased with increasing soil patting plate gap and clamping conveyor chain speed. The soil removal pod drop rate of the soil patting plate using swing patting was lower than that using the opposite patting method. The speed and gap of the picking roller had no effect on the soil removal pod drop rate. The frequency, amplitude, form, and gap of the soil patting plate had extremely significant impacts on the rate of decrease in the number of soil removal pod drop rate. The clamping conveyor chain speed had a significant impact, while the speed and gap of the picking roller had no significant impact. The influence of all factors on the comprehensive soil removal rate was extremely significant. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for parameter optimization research on peanut-cleaning picking machines in the clay hilly areas of southern China.