In the postharvest supply chain, directly moving Korla fragrant pears from ice temperature storage to ambient display readily induces quality deterioration, shortens shelf life, and causes substantial economic losses. Using Korla fragrant pears as the study system, we propose a gradual rewarming protocol. We optimised temperature and time parameters with response surface methodology and validated the protocol by comparing changes in shelf-life quality and microstructure under gradual versus direct rewarming. Results indicate that rewarming at 6 °C for 12 h is the optimal condition for maintaining overall postharvest quality. Under these conditions, gradient rewarming significantly improved physical and chemical quality. Compared with direct rewarming, weight loss decreased by 2.6 percent, firmness increased to 4.23 kg/cm², the peak soluble solids content reached 12.5%, the respiratory peak was delayed and the rate slowed, and shelf life was extended by about 80%. Microstructural verification showed a more compact cellular arrangement, reduced intercellular spaces, and the mildest degree of cell collapse in pears subjected to gradient rewarming. The proposed gradient rewarming protocol provides theoretical and practical guidance for optimising temperature control strategies across the postharvest cold chain and retail stages for Korla fragrant pears.

In response to the urgent need for full-process mechanization in Xinjiang’s cotton–cumin intercropping system, and to address the prominent bottlenecks of missing equipment for key harvesting steps and reliance on manual operations, we developed a cumin harvester and investigated its operating mechanisms. Guided by the agronomic parameters of the intercropping system, we executed a system-level design centered on the header unit, performed multi-objective optimization using orthogonal experiments and regression modeling, and conducted field validation. Results show: stubble height of 32.6 mm, harvester reel speed of 28 r/min, and forward speed of 3.26 km/h. Under this parameter configuration, the harvest rate was 89.54%, and the average damage rate was 7.33%. Field trials indicated a harvest rate of 88.2% and an average damage rate of 5.6%, with deviations from model predictions of 1.34% and 1.73%. The optimal reel index (λ = 1.69), the longitudinal component of the reel tine motion, prevents repeated impacts on the plants, reducing shattering and threshing damage; the axial component provide reliable support and smooth guidance to the stalks, ensuring continuous, steady cutting; the optimized stubble height is lower than the plant’s center of mass.