Determination of Physical-Mechanical Properties of Leek Plant (Allium porrum L.)

Leek is a vegetable grown towards the end of summer and harvested during fall, found commonly in Asian diet and grown commonly throughout the world. Consumed both fresh and dry, mechanical properties of leek plant need to be well-known with regards to the studies related to it’s production, processing, packaging, transport and agricultural mechanization applications. The purpose of this study is to define the physical and mechanical properties of leek plant (Allium porrum L.) used for agricultural purposes in Turkey. Conducted with different types of knifes (smooth, serrated) and different shearing angles (30, 45, 60°), shearing force, bio-yield force, rupture force, energy in rupture force, deformation, shearing stress, stress in rupture force, stiffness values have been determined for 3 different sections of leek plant. Furthermore, colour measurements have been performed for each section of leek plan at 3 different heights. The highest shearing, bioyield force and rupture force values have been defined respectively as 66.27±3.52, 53.02±2.82 and 48.15±33.71 N during the shearing made with a smooth knife. Highest consumed energy value has been defined as 1.10±0.09 J in the studies conducted with smooth knife while the lowest value has been defined as 0.23±0.12 J in the studies carried out with serrated knife. The lowest deformation value has been defined as 25.37±1.18 mm in the experiments performed at 45° knife angle with a serrated knife.