Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of peanut varieties and pod stripping duration using a tractor-mounted peanut stripper on pod quality. The experiment was arranged in a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. The factors included two peanut varieties, KU ARDA 20 and Kasetsart Ko-Kae 40, and two stripping durations: immediate stripping (D0) and one-day drying before stripping (D1). Data were collected on moisture content, percentage of sound pods, percentage of broken pods, percentage of kernels from broken pods, and percentage of impurities. The results showed that moisture content was significantly affected by both variety and stripping duration, while no interaction between the two factors was observed. In contrast, the percentages of sound pods, broken pods, kernels from broken pods, and impurities were not significantly different. Kasetsart Ko-Kae 40 exhibited average sound pod percentages of 93.6% and 93.8%, and kernel loss from broken pods of 2.5% and 2.6% under D0 and D1, respectively. KU ARDA 20 showed sound pod percentages of 93.3% and 91.9%, and kernel loss of 3.6% and 4.2% under D0 and D1, respectively. Pod physical characteristics influenced breakage, as longer pods were more prone to damage due to greater impact forces. Kasetsart Ko-Kae 40, which has shorter pods than KU ARDA 20, exhibited lower breakage rates. Drying for one day reduced pod moisture content to approximately 36–40% and decreased impurity levels.