Abstract
In order to adjust the coffee harvester and to assist in deciding either whether or not to make a second pass of the harvester, fully or selectively, it is necessary to know some crop parameters. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the coffee fruit detachment force in the green and cherry ripeness, under different plant positions and in four evaluation periods, throughout the harvest period between the first and second pass of harvester. The cultivar used was the Catuaí Amarelo IAC 144 aged eight years in spacing 3.8 x 0.9 m. Detachment force was determined by sampling using a portable digital dynamometer. The green ripeness stage showed superior detachment force than the cherry for all evaluation periods. The fruit detachment force for the green and cherry ripeness showed a decreasing behavior during the evaluation period, since the difference between the detachment forces of these fruits increased, thus guiding the type of harvest to be performed. Beyond the fruit detachment force difference, other parameters such as fruit ripening rate and crop load were essential for harvest management. Significant variations were identified in the fruit detachment force positioned in different parts of the coffee tree branches. The results also reinforce the relevance of characterizing the coffee fruit detachment force for harvester adjustments and management of the selective mechanized harvesting.
Highlights
The coffee is noteworthy worldwide for its socioeconomic importance in the most diverse sectors, being a product present for domestic consumption (FERREIRA JÚNIOR et al, 2016)
No significant difference was observed in the interaction between ripeness stage (R) x position (P) and evaluation period (EP), with p-value=0.9620 as well as for the double interactions ripeness stage (R) x position (P), with p-value=0.2611; ripeness stage (R) x evaluation period (EP), with p-value=0.3140; and position (P) x evaluation period (EP), with p-value=0.8170
There was no significant difference between the positions with p value=0.0929; for the ripeness stage, there was a significant difference, with p-value
Summary
The coffee is noteworthy worldwide for its socioeconomic importance in the most diverse sectors, being a product present for domestic consumption (FERREIRA JÚNIOR et al, 2016). The low labor availability for coffee cultivation, especially for the harvesting process that requires a great variety of services available in a short period (SILVA et al, 2014), the search for reducing the operating costs and improving the quality of final product have strengthened the use of mechanized harvesting, with more than one pass of harvester seeking the selectivity of harvested fruits (CUNHA et al, 2016; OLIVEIRA et al, 2007a; SILVA et al, 2000). It is sought to collect only ripe fruits, leaving the green fruits in the plant. It requires higher operating speed and allows greater effective field capacity (CUNHA; SILVA; DIAS, 2016)
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