Visible Losses in Mechanized Harvesting of Sugarcane Using the Case IH A4000 Harvester

Abstract

Sugarcane is a major Brazilian agricultural product. The area cultivated in the state of Rio de Janeiro for the 2011-12 crop was of 41.31 thousand hectares. The process of mechanized harvesting of the crop still has many visible losses of raw materials caused by several factors. This study aimed at evaluating the visible losses of sugarcane and ratoon damage using the Case A4000 harvester and was conducted in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The materials left on the field by the harvester were collected in six ratoon cane rows, with a length of 350 m, setting the frame sampling to every 50 m. The sampling area consisted of 20 m 2 , with eight repetitions. The losses were calculated in t•ha −1 and in %. The comparison of averages was performed by using the confidence interval, constructed by statistical "t" at 5% probability to compare the types of losses. The estimated productivity of the area was of 54 t•ha −1. The differences between the types of losses were significant. The billets and splinters were found in greater quantity.

Investigating Visible Cane Loss and Stump Damage Due to Sugarcane Chopper Harvester Usage in Thailand

“…Te current study revealed signifcant cane losses at the remaining stumps, with average losses of 2.19 and 2.21 t/ha for large-and medium-sized harvesters, respectively. In comparison, reported losses from remaining stumps in Brazil were around 0.05 t/ha, making the losses in Tailand approximately 44.2 times higher than those in Brazil [22]. Unlike Brazil and Australia, where sugarcane plots are well prepared for mechanized harvesting, leading to minimal losses from basal cutting, sugarcane cultural practices in Tailand need improvement, especially in areas such as earthing-up operations and rock clearing in sugarcane felds [20].…”

“…Unlike Brazil and Australia, where sugarcane plots are well prepared for mechanized harvesting, leading to minimal losses from basal cutting, sugarcane cultural practices in Tailand need improvement, especially in areas such as earthing-up operations and rock clearing in sugarcane felds [20]. By adequately preparing sugarcane felds in Tailand, the basal cutting of harvesters could be performed closer to the bases of sugarcane stumps, resulting in reduced cane losses [22].…”