METHOD FOR DETERMING PLUMPNESS OF FARM CROP SEEDS AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING THE SAME

FIELD: agriculture, in particular, selection and growing of cereal grains, grain legumes seeds, groats seeds and seeds of other crops for determining their physical properties. ^ SUBSTANCE: method involves determining seed plumpness coefficient from ratio of perimeter of circle having predetermined diameter to perimeter of increased projection of seed cross section over area equal to circle area; obtaining projection of seed cross section by means of projection apparatus; arranging seeds within apparatus so that their longitudinal axis is parallel to main optical axis of projection apparatus system, with plane of cross section of seeds being arranged between main focus of objective and point spaced from it by distance equal to doubled focus distance; projecting increased image of grain on light-transparent opaque screen with circle drawn thereon and having predetermined diameter; providing equality of areas of circle and projection by altering scale of projection. Apparatus has optical circuit of projector with automatic focusing, rotating transparent disk with conical seed cells and light-transparent opaque screen. Circle of predetermined diameter is drawn on screen. Retainer provides desired position of disk. Disk is positioned in projector so that longitudinal axes of seeds located within cells are parallel to main optical axis of system. Plane of seed cross section should be arranged between main focus of projector objective and point spaced by distance equal to doubled focus distance. ^ EFFECT: simplified process for carrying out of experimental investigations and increased precision of resulting evaluations in determining of grain quality factor such as grain plumpness. ^ 3 cl, 7 dwg