PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A POTATO SEEDING MACHINE ADAPTED TO OPERATE UNDER NO OR MINIMUM TILLAGE SYSTEM

Ano: 2010 | Volume: 18 | Número: 2

Autores: Haroldo Carlos Fernandes, Antônio Donizette de Oliveira, Lara Santana Fernandes, Paula Cristina Natalino Rinaldi

Palavras-chave: Preparo do solo, consumo de combustível, mecanização agrícola

Resumo Português:

A batata é uma das mais importantes olerícolas cultivadas no Brasil. O cultivo acontece de maneira tradicional, sendo o
preparo do solo feito convencionalmente, usando implementos de revolvimento e destorroamento em número e seqüências
variadas. O revolvimento excessivo do solo é prática usual entre os bataticultores do Brasil, que vislumbram na grande
fragmentação do solo a condição ideal para o desenvolvimento da cultura. No presente trabalho, os objetivos foram
adaptar uma plantadora de batata existente no mercado para operar em solo cuja superfície não havia sido revolvida
(plantio direto) ou pouco revolvida (cultivo mínimo) e avaliar o desempenho da plantadora por meio de modificações da
máquina e pelo plantio convencional. O experimento foi conduzido num delineamento em blocos casualizados, composto
por três sistemas de plantio (plantio direto, plantio convencional e cultivo mínimo) com quatro repetições. Pelos resultados
obtidos, conclui-se que: o plantio de batata em solo não revolvido permitiu economia de até 35 L ha-1 de óleo diesel. O
solo preparado com enxada rotativa para posterior plantio permitiu que as plantas de batata emergissem mais rapidamente
do solo.
in soils that have not been plowed (no-tillage) or minimally plowed (minimum tillage) and evaluate its performance
in conventional, minimum and no-tillage systems. The experiment was laid down in randomized block design, with
treatments consisting of three tillage systems (no-tillage, minimum, and conventional tillage) with four replications. The
results showed that the potato planted in no-tillage soil saved up to 35 L ha-1 of diesel. The soil prepared with rotary hoe
for the subsequent potato planting allowed the potato plants to emerge more rapidly.

Resumo Inglês:

Potato is one of the most important vegetable crops in Brazil. It is cultivated in a traditional way, where the soil is prepared
conventionally through plowing and harrowing, differing in number and sequence. Excessive soil plowing is a common
practice among Brazilian potato growers due to the belief that higher soil fragmentation results in better crop development.
Alternative techniques, such as no-tillage or minimum tillage, have made good progress for cereal cultivation in Brazil,
but have a negligible impact on potato cultivation. This study was done to modify a commercial potato seeder to operate
in soils that have not been plowed (no-tillage) or minimally plowed (minimum tillage) and evaluate its performance
in conventional, minimum and no-tillage systems. The experiment was laid down in randomized block design, with
treatments consisting of three tillage systems (no-tillage, minimum, and conventional tillage) with four replications. The
results showed that the potato planted in no-tillage soil saved up to 35 L ha-1 of diesel. The soil prepared with rotary hoe
for the subsequent potato planting allowed the potato plants to emerge more rapidly.