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Home → Native Plant Network → Journal → Articles → Equipment modifications for harvesting fluffy seeds

Native Plants Journal - Article

Equipment modifications for harvesting fluffy seeds

Abstract:

Fluffy seeds of native wildflowers are difficult to harvest using traditional equipment and methods. We modified intake and storage on a tractor-drawn leaf vacuum machine to better harvest fluffy seeded species such as aster (Aster L. [Asteraceae]) and narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia (Michx.) Nutt. [Asteraceae]). By inserting collection bags inside the vacuum and creating a vacuum hood to ride over the rows of plants, only 1 person is needed for the harvest process. The modified equipment allows us to make repeated harvests over the several-week ripening period and it removes only ripe seed from the plants.

Issue & Pages:

Fall 2001 Pages: 114-115

Article Download:

2-2NPJ114-115.pdf (PDF document)

Authors:

  • Jennifer Kujawski
  • John Englert
  • Dan Dusty
  • R Jay Ugiansky

Keywords:

Trac Vac, seed production, wildflowers