Machinery traffic impacts in fisical soil atributtes related to sugarcane yield and row space planting

Abstract

The green harvest system of sugarcane crop promotes a high soil compaction duo to frequently heavy machinery traffic. The crop management with different planting design and traffic control using automatic pilot system represents a viable alternative for sugarcane farmers because it is able to separated areas with and without machinery traffic avoiding the impacts of soil compaction over sugarcane production. Therein, the aim of this project is evaluated sugarcane performance over different row-space design regarding current harvest machines and with machinery traffic in just 13% of soil surface due to the use of ETC (new technology to grow sugarcane which has been developing by CTBE in cooperation to JACTO and BNDES). The machinery traffic impacts will be correlated to physical soil attributes and sugarcane production. For this an experiment will be performed in a commercial field of sugarcane where the follow row-space planting will be set up: 1- Reference - single row with 1.50m inter row space and mechanized planting; 2- Dual row-space - 2 rows with 0.90 apart and 1.50 m inter row and mechanized planting; 3- Triple row-space - 3 rows with 0.75m apart and 1.50 m inter row and semi-mechanized planting. 4- Precision planting (geometric design) - geometric seed billets distribution in 0.75m x 0.75m between plants and inter rows, being 15.000 stools per hectare - manual planting. During two crop season physical soil attributes and crop parameters will be done. Soil sample will be collected at 0.00-0.10 m, 0.10-0.20 m and 0.20-0.30 m in soil deep. The soil physical quality attributes will be assessed by the least limiting water range. Undisturbed samples are collected for analysis of soil load support capacity, relating the soil preconsolidation pressure and gravimetric moisture. The crop performance will be evaluated by growth analysis (above and below ground) performed throughout its crop cycle. (AU)