OPERATIONAL EVALUATION OF A RADIAL FLOW T HRESHER PROTOTYPE FOR SORGHUM (SORGHUM-BICOLOR (L) MOENCH)

A prototype of a radial flow thresher driven by a gasoline engine, was built at the Universidade Federal de Vicosa, and tested at the Nation al Maize and Sorghum Research Center of EMBRAPA. The machine operated at peripheral speeds of 7, 11, 15, and 18 m/s, threshing sorghum with 12, 16, 20 and 24%, of moisture content (w.b.). A factorial design wit h four randomized blocks was used in the statistical analysis of the d ata. The combination leading to the best overall performance associate d the 18 m/s peripheral speed with the 20% moisture (w.b.) grain sorgh um.