DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A NEEM SEED DECORTICATOR

Abstract

The most common method of neem seed decorticating widely used in the northern part of Nigeria is the method of crushing or pressing the pods between the thumb and the fingers to break off the pods to release the seed. The Neem Seed decorticator was developed and evaluated using 1 kg of neeem seeds at three different moisture contents (9.35, 11.35 and 13.35 %) and three machine speeds (345, 445 and 545 rpm). The average decorticating and cleaning efficiencies of 96.79% and 57.01 % were obtained. The highest decorticating efficiency (97.95 %) was obtained at 345 rpm and 11.35 % moisture content while the lowest (95.14 %) was obtained at 545 rpm and 9.35 % moisture content. The highest cleaning efficiency (62.00 %) was obtained at 545 rpm and 9.35 % moisture content, while the lowest cleaning efficiency (51.62 %) was obtained at 345 rpm and 13.35 % moisture content. The statistical analysis of the data revealed that all the regression coefficients were significant (p≤0.05).