Abstract:In order to ameliorate the current situation of high labor intensity and cost of manual harvesting, lack of mechanized harvesting technology and equipment in Zizania latifolia industry, the key technologies of mechanized harvesting of Zizania latifolia were developed based on the planting agronomy, plant characters and requirements of mechanized harvesting. A crawler self-propelled single-row harvester for Zizania latifolia was developed which can complete the cutting, conveying, blade cutting, and collection processes in one go, achieving mechanized harvesting of Zizania latifolia. The structure and working principle of the harvester were elaborated, and the key components such as tracked crawler power chassis, double-disc cutting device, clamping and conveying device, vertical conveying and blade cutting device were designed based on the theoretical analysis. In addition, the main structural and working parameters of the harvester were determined. Finally, the Zizania latifolia harvester was developed, and field experiments were carried out. Field test results showed that the driving performance and passing ability of the Zizania latifolia harvester in the Zizania latifolia field were good. When the working speed was approximately 0.4m/s, the clamping and conveying speed was approximately 0.7m/s, and the motor driving speed of the double-disc cutting device was 500r/min, respectively, the success rate of cutting was 100%, the average total loss rate was 5.2%, the average damage rate of shelled Zizania latifolia was 7.3%, and the average work efficiency was 0.14hm2/h. Moreover, the working parts of the harvester worked stably and showed a good effect, which indicated that the harvester prototype can basically meet he requirements for mechanized harvesting of Zizania latifolia. The research result can provide ways for the design and improvement of mechanized harvesting equipment for Zizania latifolia.