THE LOSSES OF SUGARCANE HARVESTED FROM A SUGARCANE HARVESTER

This study aimed at a quantitative evaluation of sugarcane losses caused by the operating process of harvesters. A factorial experimental design was used to study the effect of 3 factors: sugarcane type, planting and soil type. The experiments showed the effects of the three factors affecting the sugarcane loss from mechanical harvesting systems. Sugarcane losses from the operation of harvesters are as follows: 49% from base cutter, 26% from rollers, 17% from elevator and 8% from primary extractor. The variance analysis done at a significance level of 0.05, found that sugarcane type and soil type had an influence on the losses of sugarcane from the operation of the base cutter in both terms of main factors and co-factors. Planting and soil type had an influence on sugarcane losses from the operations of feed rollers in the main and co-factor. Sugarcane type, planting and soil type were the co-factor affecting losses from the operation of the primary extractor.