TITLE:
Evaluation of Visible Losses and Damage to the Ratoon Cane in the Mechanized Harvesting of Sugarcane for Different Displacement Speeds
AUTHORS:
Carmen Maria Coimbra Manhães, Ricardo Ferreira Garcia, Delorme Correa Junior, Francisco Maurício Alves Francelino, Helenilson de Oliveira Francelino, Carlos Mair França Gonçalves dos Santos
KEYWORDS:
Harvesting, Mechanization, Displacement Speed, Sugarcane
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.5 No.20,
September
25,
2014
ABSTRACT: This study aimed at quantitatively evaluating the sugarcane losses and
the damage caused to the ratoon cane while using the Case IH A8800 harvester in
different displacement speeds; it was conducted in the municipality of Campos
dos Goytacazes, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Three speeds were used as treatment
(2 km·h-1, 3 km·h-1, and 4.5 km·h-1), and each
treatment was composed of six rows of harvested ratoon, each with a length of
290 m. In order to evaluate the quantitative losses in t·ha-1 and
the percentage of losses, the remaining sugarcane, left on the field after harvesting,
was collected. The sampling frame was set to every 50 m, dividing the borders
by 40 m; the measurement for each sampling area was of 20 m2, with
five repetitions. In order to evaluate the damage caused to the ratoon canes,
we chose a visual methodology to classify the damage degrees, ranging from one
to four. There was no significant difference in losses when comparing different
speeds. Therefore, it is more advantageous and economically viable to use the
speed of 4.5 km·h-1, which collects more in less time.