Abstract
Mechanical sugarcane planters simultaneously perform ploughing, fertiliser application, seedling metering and furrow covering operations. This study aimed to evaluate the billet metering quality and uniformity of a sugarcane planter and the total damage to buds. The experimental design used was completely randomised in a 2 x2 factorial arrangement totalling four treatments, which consisted of two planting speeds (5.0 and 6.5 km h-1) and two conveyor belt rotation speeds (50 and 100%, which corresponds to 45 and 85 rpm, respectively, in the conveyor belt pulley), with 20 replicates per treatment. The following parameters were evaluated: number of billets m-1, total buds m-1, viable buds m-1 and damaged buds (%). The planter metering mechanism exhibited uniform billet metering with low bud damage (5.9%). The increase in working speed decreased the number of billets (9.7 m-1), total buds (22.9 m-1) and viable buds (18.5 m-1). Furthermore, the increase in conveyor belt rotation speed also increased these parameters. Key words: Statistical process control, agricultural mechanisation, planting speed, Saccharum officinarum.
Highlights
Brazil is expected to produce 654.6 million tons of sugarcane in the 2015/2016 crop year in an area of approximately nine million hectares
The experimental design used was completely randomised in a 2 x2 factorial arrangement totalling four treatments, which consisted of two planting speeds (5.0 and 6.5 km h-1) and two conveyor belt rotation speeds (50 and 100%, which corresponds to 45 and 85 rpm, respectively, in the conveyor belt pulley), with 20 replicates per treatment
The planter metering mechanism exhibited uniform billet metering with low bud damage (5.9%)
Summary
Brazil is expected to produce 654.6 million tons of sugarcane in the 2015/2016 crop year in an area of approximately nine million hectares. The mechanical sugarcane planting system includes a planter that simultaneously conducts the ploughing, fertiliser application, seedling metering, pesticide application and furrow covering operations (Ripoli et al, 2007). This process follows conventional agronomic recommendations, with single-row spacing ranging from 1.0 to 1.60 m and double-row spacing with double rows 0.40 to 0.50 m apart from each other and with 1.40 m between double rows (Coleti and Stupielo, 2006). The relationship between planting speed and conveyor belt rotation speed must be adjusted because the metering mechanism is the main determinant of the success of the billet planter operation (Cebim, 2008; Pauli, 2009; Barros and Milan, 2010). This study aimed to evaluate the billet metering uniformity of a sugarcane planter and the damage to buds as a function of planting speed and conveyor belt rotation speed
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