Drying Rate of Alfalfa in a Protective Structure
ABSTRACT DRYING alfalfa in a protected environment was studied as an innovative method of haymaking. Alfalfa samples were collected and dried for a 24-h period in a greenhouse that provided the protected environment. Drying rate data were collected along with several weather parameters at swath densities of 1.51 and 2.02 kg/m2 wet basis. The data were regressed to fmd the best linear and nonlinear equations for predicting the thin layer drying constant as a function of weather conditions and swath density. The best prediction equation had an r2 value of 90.4% and was a modification of a nonlinear equation developed by Rotz and Chen (1985). This model was then used with Typical Meteorological Year data from eight sites in the U.S. to predict the number of days in a season within which hay would dry in 24 h. The 1.51 kg/m^ swath density could be dried in 24 h during 70.4% of the season days when averaged for the eight sites modeled. The 2.02 kg/m^ density could be dried in 24 h during only 21.5% of the days.