Design and Field Experiment of a High-Speed Sliding-Cutting Device for Xiangsha Taro Stems in Viscoplastic Soil

To address technical challenges such as equipment clogging and tuber damage during the mechanized harvesting of Xiangsha taro, this study designed a high-speed sliding-cutting device and conducted preliminary field performance evaluations. Based on the preliminary morphological baseline of Xiangsha taro and the distribution of soil penetration resistance, a multi-tooth rotary disc cutting device was developed. Kinematic and dynamic modelling indicated that a velocity ratio of 3.5–5.5 facilitate a ‘cycloidal loop’ trajectory, which theoretically reduces the potential for root disturbance by mitigating forward pushing forces. Initial field tests under specific orderly ridge conditions yielded a cutting qualification rate exceeding 96% and an estimated field capacity of 0.025 ha/h. While these results offer a preliminary technical reference for segmented harvesting equipment, the current validation is limited by the idealized row alignment of the experimental plot. Future research must evaluate the system’s adaptability to field irregularities and conduct direct controlled comparisons with commercial manual devices to fully substantiate its practical superiority.