# Design and Test of Vertical Axis Rotating Cutters for Cutting Corn Roots and Crown
## 1 Introduction  
In agricultural production, a large amount of waste was generated after crop harvesting, among which, the corn root-crown required focused treatment. The technology of cutting the root-crown plays a key role in modern agriculture as an important and effective method [1]. By cutting the root-crown and mixing it into the soil, the organic matter content could be increased, which would provide a more suitable growing environment for subsequent crops [2; 3]. The development of modern agriculture would also be prompted [4]. However, if the effect of cutting the root-crown was suboptimal, it would hinder the process of decomposing the root-crown and affect subsequent sowing operations. At present, the cutter shaft used in the devices of cutting the root-crown is designed to rotate horizontally [5]. These devices exhibit some problems such as high power consumption and significant soil disturbance, which can negatively impact the successful implementation of conservation tillage. In recent years, many experts have studied the device of cutting the root-crown. [PERSON] et al. developed a strip-type inter-row side-throwing straw device. The root-crown and straw were thrown to the sides of the ridge platform or furrows by the tilted cutters to prevent clogging while minimizing torque requirements during the process of clearing the root-crown and straw [6]. [PERSON] et al. developed a device integrated with side-blade rotary cutters and a furrow opener. The problem of the root-crowns and straw clogging the seeder was solved under the low power consumption [7]. [PERSON] et al. developed a device integrated with a driven-disc plow and dual-blade rotary cutters. The Archimedean spiral and the sine exponential curve were employed to shape the long and short blades of the dual-blade rotary cutters, respectively. The problem of the low rate of the root-crown and straw returning to the field was solved [8]. [PERSON] et al. designed a shallow rotary stubble-cleaning device by changing the installation method and angle of rotary blades, addressing the problem of excessive wheat stubble blocking the opener during corn seeding in wheat-corn double cropping areas [9]. [PERSON] et al. developed a passive anti-winding crown-cutting and ridge-cleaning device. The serrated gap disc designed with an Archimedean spiral and star clear ridge wheel was employed to work in cooperation, to reduce soil disturbance and improve the quality of cutting the root-crown [10]. There are several methods for treating root-crowns using a horizontally rotating cutter. One approach involves using opposing passive rotating fingers to move the crown to both sides of the ridge. However, this method merely displaces the crown without crushing it, thereby reducing its decomposition rate. Another method employs a horizontally rotating fixed cutter to cut the crown. In this case, the cutter does not enter the soil and fails to address the combination of soil and roots. Additionally, there are methods that use a rotary tiller to mix the root-crown with the soil. While this approach could cut the root-crown, its effectiveness is limited, and it requires a significant amount of soil disturbance, making it unsuitable for conservation tillage. Bionics, as an interdisciplinary field bridging biology and engineering, provides innovative solutions for improving the performance of the cutter. By investigating the morphological characteristics and kinematic principles of biological organisms, researchers have developed high-efficiency bionic cutters specifically for agricultural engineering applications. [PERSON] et al. designed a cutting tool for corn silage, using beaver incisors as the bionic prototype [11]. [PERSON] et al. developed a bionic blade for cutting corn straw, inspired by the structural characteristics of an ant mandible [12]. [PERSON] et al. developed a bionic cutter for cutting corn root-crowns based on the multi-toothed structure of ant's mandibles and the unique leaf-biting mechanism [13]. [PERSON] et al.