Technical and economic evaluation of different operating modes for mechanized fertilizer application in coffee plantations

The present study aimed to investigate the performance parameters and related costs of a machinery set composed of a tractor and a machine for fertilizers and soil correctives application, working in a coffee yard. It was evaluated two different modes of operation. For the first mode of operation (MO1), the machinery applied the total recommended dose to only one side of the plants and traveled in only half of the plot interrows. For the second mode of operation (MO2), the machinery applied half the recommended dose to each side of the plants and traveled in all of the plot interrows. The study was performed at Bom Jardim Farm, located in the municipality of Bom Sucesso, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The performance parameters included effective field capacity and effective time. The hourly cost of the fertilizers and soil correctives application operation was determined based on the farm’s management data and the effective cost was obtained by relating the hourly cost and the effective time. The results showed that MO1 implies higher effective field capacity and lower effective cost, with the cost of only 50.1% of that found for MO2. Key words: Agricultural machinery management; costs; Coffea arabica L.