Quality of the mechanical harvesting of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) under two tillage systems

Abstract

Among the production stages of the bean plant, harvesting is one of the most important, because it can decisively affect both quality and production costs. Thus, the objective was to assess quality in the mechanized harvesting of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), grown under conventional tillage and no-tillage systems. The variables analysed were: the noise level emitted, calculated using a sound-pressure meter; the operational performance, by monitoring fuel consumption, wheel-slippage, and displacement velocity of the machine, all collected digitally (datalogger); and the harvesting operation with regard to the dry matter and density of stubble, and to crop losses. The speed and the hourly and operational fuel consumption showed normal data distribution, while the noise level showed a skewed distribution. Losses in the mechanical harvesting of the beans, and stubble density, showed low variability and normal distribution. Therefore, only the hourly consumption and production of stubble dry-matter, showed unstable behavior in relation to the statistical process control, while the other indicators showed it possible to maintain quality in the harvesting operation under both conventional tillage and no-tillage systems.