Analysis of the physical properties of spindle seeds for seed sorting operations

Abstract

The relationships between the basic physical properties of seeds of selected spindle species were evaluated for the needs of seed sorting operations. Physical properties were measured in the seeds of five spindle species, and the presence of relationships between these attributes was determined in correlation and regression analyses. The average values of the evaluated parameters were determined in the following range: terminal velocity—from 9.2 to 10.3 m s−1, thickness—from 2.57 to 3.26 mm, width—from 2.87 to 3.74 mm, length—from 3.94 to 5.52 mm, angle of external friction—from 20.7° to 24.6°, mass—from 16.5 to 33.8 mg. Spindle seeds were arranged in the following ascending order based on their geometric mean diameter: winged spindle, Hamilton’s spindle, large-winged spindle, broadleaf spindle and European spindle. Spindle seeds should be separated in a sieve equipped with at least two mesh screens with slotted apertures. Depending on the processed spindle species, aperture size should range from ≠ 2.7 to ≠ 3.5 mm in the top screen, and from ≠ 2.4 to ≠ 3.0 mm in the bottom screen.

Analysis of the Physical Properties of Seeds of Selected Viburnum Species for the Needs of Seed Sorting Operations

“…The angle of external friction and seed mass were bound by the weakest correlation, which indicates that these parameters should not be used as critical traits in the separation of viburnum seeds. Similar observations were made in studies of other plant species [27][28][29]41,49]. The coefficient of determination reached 0.4 in two linear regression equations (Figure 3), and it was highest for the correlation between seed mass and seed length.…”

“…Viburnum dasyanthum and Viburnum opulus formed a homogeneous group based on seed thickness; Viburnum lantana and Viburnum lentago-based on seed width; and Viburnum lantana and Viburnum opulus-based on seed length. The seeds of Viburnum dasyanthum had a similar thickness to Picea abies and Picea meyeri seeds [28,34], similar width to Pinus ponderosa seeds [40], Tilia cordata seeds [41] and Cornus controversa, Cornus florida and Cornus walteri seeds [30], and similar length to Pinus sylvestris seeds [42]. Viburnum lantana seeds resembled Pseudotsuga menziesii seeds [34] and Juniperus communis seeds [27] in terms of thickness, Abies forrestii and Abies concolor seeds [29] and Cornus mas seeds [30] in terms of width, and Pinus pinaster seeds [40] and Carpinus betulus seeds [41] in terms of length.…”

“…The seeds of Viburnum dasyanthum had a similar thickness to Picea abies and Picea meyeri seeds [28,34], similar width to Pinus ponderosa seeds [40], Tilia cordata seeds [41] and Cornus controversa, Cornus florida and Cornus walteri seeds [30], and similar length to Pinus sylvestris seeds [42]. Viburnum lantana seeds resembled Pseudotsuga menziesii seeds [34] and Juniperus communis seeds [27] in terms of thickness, Abies forrestii and Abies concolor seeds [29] and Cornus mas seeds [30] in terms of width, and Pinus pinaster seeds [40] and Carpinus betulus seeds [41] in terms of length. The seeds of Viburnum lentago had a similar length to Pinus radiata seeds [40], Taxus baccata seeds [34], Carpinus orientalis seeds [43] and Abies lasiocarpa seeds [29] and a similar thickness to Juniperus virginiana seeds [27].…”

“…The seeds of Viburnum lentago had a similar length to Pinus radiata seeds [40], Taxus baccata seeds [34], Carpinus orientalis seeds [43] and Abies lasiocarpa seeds [29] and a similar thickness to Juniperus virginiana seeds [27]. Viburnum rhytodophyllum seeds were characterized by a similar thickness to Robinia pseudoacacia seeds [41] and Abies balsamea and Abies koreana seeds [29] and a similar width and length to Pinus nigra seeds [44]. Viburnum sargentii seeds were similar to Pinus palustris and Pinus roxburghii seeds [40] in terms of thickness and to Pinus nigra seeds [34] in terms of length.…”

“…These results indicate that viburnum seeds would be most effectively separated with the use of air separators, mesh screens with round apertures, or cylindrical graders. In previous studies, terminal velocity was suggested as the key parameter for sorting the seeds of Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata and Alnus incana [41]; Juniperus chinensis and Juniperus virginiana [27]; Picea pungens, Picea Jezoensis, Picea likiangensis, Picea orientalis, Picea rubens and Picea schrenkiana [28]; Abies balsamea, Abies forrestii, Abies grandis, Abies firma, Abies procera, Abies concolor and Abies lasiocarpa [29]; and Pinus nigra [22]. Seed width was proposed as the key criterion for separating the seeds of Sorbus aucuparia [41], Cornus sanguinea and Cornus walteri [30], whereas seed length was regarded as the most important parameter for sorting the seeds of Fagus silvatica atropurpurea and Robinia pseudoacacia [41]; Picea meyeri, Picea smithiana and Picea abies [28]; Abies concolor [29]; and Cornus amonum, Cornus macrophylla and Cornus obliqua [30].…”