The Korla fragrant pear is a highly valued economic fruit in China’s Xinjiang region. However, biomechanical data on the fruit-bearing branches and pedicels of this species remain incomplete, which to some extent hinders the advancement of harvesting equipment and techniques. Therefore, refining these data is of great significance for the development of efficient and non-destructive harvesting strategies. This study aims to elucidate the mechanical properties of the fruiting branches and peduncles of Korla fragrant pears, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for the future development of intelligent harvesting technology for this variety. The research utilized axial and radial compression tests, along with three-point bending test methods, to quantitatively analyze the elastic modulus and shear modulus of the branches and peduncles. The test results reveal that the elastic modulus of the fruiting branches under axial compression is 263.51 ± 76.51 MPa, while under radial compression, it measures 135.53 ± 73.73 MPa (where ± represents the standard deviation). In comparison, the elastic modulus of the peduncles is recorded at 152.96 ± 119.95 MPa. Additionally, the three-point bending test yielded a shear modulus of 75.48 ± 32.84 MPa for the branches and 30.23 ± 8.50 MPa for the peduncles. Using finite element static structural analysis, the simulation results aligned closely with the experimental data, falling within an acceptable error range, thus validating the reliability of the testing methods and outcomes. The mechanical parameters obtained in this study are critical for modeling the stress and deformation behaviors of pear-bearing structures during mechanical harvesting. These findings provide valuable theoretical support for the optimization of harvesting device design and operational strategies, with the aim of reducing fruit damage and improving harvesting efficiency in pear orchards.
Jiang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.