Base Cut Quality and Productivity of Mechanically Harvested Sugarcane

This experiment aimed to assess the damage caused in the sugarcane ratoon by the wear of the base cutter blades over 5 h of effective harvester work and the influence of the damage on the growth and productivity of the next harvest. The experiment was carried out in Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo state, Brazil, in a commercial area. The crop was in the cane plant cycle, and the damage caused by the base cutting to the clump was evaluated during the harvest. The tillering and the percentage of sprouting failures were evaluated during the growth of the plants in the second cycle to verify the damage in the crop. Evaluations were made in each hour of work of the harvester, according to a completely randomized design. The variables evaluated included wear of base cutter blades, number of stumps and stalks, tillering, percentage of sprouting failures, cut quality and productivity. A statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman test. The action of the base cutter lifted the stumps, but there was no increase due to wear of the blades. There was a reduction in cut quality and crop yield in the following harvest due to an increase in the wear of the base cutter blades from the third hour of work.