Mechanical shear resistance of wheat grain is a significant concern for the designers and researchers related to the design of threshing, handling and processing machinery of the field crops. The grain mechanical properties directly affect the machine geometry and its operational parameters. The present study was carried out to determine the shear resistance of five wheat varieties (Locally names; TD-02, Sindhu-1105, Benazir, China and SKD-118) influenced by moisture content (16.7%, 18.7% and 19.5%) and loading rate (3 mm/s, 6 mm/s and 9 mm/s). However, some physio-dimensional properties (length, width, thickness, slenderness ratio, surface area and sphericity) were obtained at different moisture contents. The results showed that the shear resistance reduced by increasing the moisture content and loading rate. The average shear resistance decreased from 10.45 N to 3.74 N for 3-9 mm/s loading rate at moisture content of 16.7% to 19.5%. Thus, the maximum correlation (r = 0.905) of shear resistance obtained at 16.7%, whereas minimum correlation (r = 0.692) obtained at 19.5%. The shear resistance of wheat grain was highly significant (p<0.05) at 9 mm/s for 19.5%. Shear resistance decreased with an increase in the moisture content in the grain whereas deformation is increasing with the increase of moisture content. However, the maximum bulk density of wheat grain obtained at 19.5% for SKD-118, while the minimum obtained at 16.7% for TD-02. It is recommended that the design and modification of wheat grain processing equipment should be executed on the physio-mechanical properties of grain varieties.
Pakistan is facing energy scarcity. The biogas is one of the renewable substitutes. It does not only overcome the energy scarcity but also harness the energy from animal dung which causes the CO 2 emissions. The present study was done on the appraisal of potential of biogas from the dung of animals (Buffaloes, Cows, Goats and Sheep) within the villages surrounded by Taluka Saeedabad. The purpose of the study was the energy potential of the biogas and the selection of the most suitable design and size of the biogas plant for the villagers. The present study also includes the domestic biogas plant economics. As per the estimation, total quantity of animal dung generated was about 129 tons/day, which can produce 3859 m 3 of biogas per day. On the contrary, for cooking villagers require only 2748 m 3 of biogas per day. Moreover, the surplus biogas of 1111 m 3 per day can be used to produce electricity of 6666 kWh per day, which can fulfill the demand of about half of the population of villages under study. People are using firewood, cotton stalks, kerosene oil and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) for cooking. Converting animal dung into the biogas not only reduces the consumption of the traditional fuels used (Firewood, Cotton Stalks, Kerosene Oil and LPG), but also prevents about 900 thousand tons of CO 2 emissions into the environment. Additionally, a fixed dome biogas plant of 8-10 m 3 size was recommended for each of the houses under study.
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