PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - David B Simonson
AU  - Derek J Tilley
TI  - A low-cost modification to a Flail-Vac Harvester for collecting lightweight, wind-dispersed seed
AID  - 10.3368/npj.17.2.103
DP  - 2016 Jun 20
TA  - Native Plants Journal
PG  - 103--108
VI  - 17
IP  - 2
4099  - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/17/2/103.short
4100  - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/17/2/103.full
SO  - NATIVE PLANTS JOURNAL2016 Jun 20; 17
AB  - Indeterminate wildflowers with pappus-bearing seed are difficult to effectively harvest at yields approaching maximum potential using traditional equipment. We modified a Flail-Vac Seed Stripper by mounting heavy loops of chain to the front of the Flail-Vac to provide agitation of the floral canopy to disarticulate seed from the flowers of hoary tansyaster (Machaeranthera canescens (Pursh) A. Gray [Asteraceae]). The modification allowed for multiple, non-damaging harvests that collected only shatter-ready, fully ripe seed. Labor and time associated with post-harvest drying and seed cleaning were reduced because of the decrease in vegetative matter accumulated.