Creep Modelling of Rootstock during Holding in Watermelon Grafting

Kang Wu, Jianzhong Lou, Chen Li, Wei Luo, Congcong Li and Jianping Li
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Kang Wu: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jianzhong Lou: School of Additive Manufacturing, Zhejiang Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Hangzhou 310053, China
Chen Li: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Wei Luo: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Congcong Li: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jianping Li: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: The fragile structure of a rootstock predisposes the stem to mechanical damage during grafting. Thus, it is necessary to take into account the rootstock’s rheological properties under mechanical compression when designing a clamping mechanism. This study focused on cucurbit, a typical rootstock for watermelon grafting. Firstly, we adopted a four-element Burgers model to analyze viscoelastic behavior and deformation characteristics of the rootstock, then conducted creep tests to obtain the parameters of the viscoelastic model. Next, we developed a model for the rootstock during holding based on viscoelastic parameters, loading force and contact time. Moreover, we evaluated the effect of various loading forces and test velocities on creep deformation to reveal the least damage on the rootstock. Results showed that the influence of loading force on the creep deformation was greater than test velocity. Finally, the holding test indicated that the clamping mechanism with silicone rubber can effectively prevent the damage to the stem. Specifically, the loading force should be controlled below 4 N to reduce the associated damage. Taken together, our findings provide a theoretical basis for analyzing the holding damage mechanism during watermelon grafting.

Keywords: Burgers model; clamping mechanism; rootstock; creep test; watermelon grafting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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