Colhedeira mecânica de café - estudo do desempenho.

Abstract

The first field tests with a self-propelled harvester speccially designed for cofferr harvester are presented. The ma chine is the result of a development project by Máquinas Agrico_ las Jacto S.A. Using the usual manual harvest as a reference and the next year crop yield as an indicator tests shown that no influen ce in the plantation is expected due to the machine use. The injury to the plant caused by the mechanical practi ce, using broken branches as indicator, compared with manual har vest shown no significant difference. Harvesting efficiency mesured during the favourable har vesting period gave values of the order of 94%. A brief description of the machine functioning anã also about the Project evolution from 1973 till 1979 is given. It is also given some information on the machine capability and needs for field use.