DESEMPENHO DE COLHEDORA DE PARCELAS NA SOJA COM DIFERENTES VELOCIDADES DE DESLOCAMENTO

The mechanized harvesting of soybean is fundamental tool in the production process of this crop, and if not performed properly, it can result in severe mechanical damage to the grains, causing significant losses at harvest. This concern with harvest must also be taken into account in experimental fields, when plot harvesters are used. The aim of the present study was to assess losses occurring in mechanized harvesting with plot harvester with diffent displacement speed. Combine header, thresing and total losses were assessed. In addition, the impurity number of pods and the moisture content of the grains were evaluated, with displacement speeds of: 2, 4, 6 and 8 km h-1. The increase of displacement speed provided less losses in mechanized harvesting of soybean. The number of pods, such as impurities and humidity, were also influenced by the increase in displacement speed.