Mechanized harvesting of 'Conilon' coffee clones

The objective of this work was to evaluate the speed effect of a coffee harvester and its interaction with 'Conilon' coffee (Coffea canephora) clones on the mechanical harvesting efficiency. The experiment was installed in Sao Mateus, in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, in 2012, with 27 clones of early, intermediate, and late fruit ripening. The first harvest was performed after the plant cuttings at 0.5 m above the ground, in 2016, and the canopy renovation. The plants and the harvester were evaluated in 2018. The coffee harvester was tested at 0.6 and 0.8 km h-1. Measurements were performed for stripping and harvesting efficiencies, fruit loss on the ground, unstripped fruit, defoliation with manual and mechanized harvesting, fruit removal force, and fruit ripening degree. The tests with the coffee harvester indicated a technical feasibility of 88% average harvesting efficiency, and a 15% lower defoliation than the manual harvesting. The harvesting speed of 0.8 km h-1 results in higher stripping and harvesting efficiencies, in a lower percentage of loss on the ground, and in less unstripped fruit, regardless of the evaluated clones. Fruit removal force and ripening degree influence the stripping and harvesting efficiencies and the percentage of unstripped fruit of 'Conilon' coffee. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da velocidade de uma colheitadeira de cafe e sua interacao com clones de cafe 'Conilon' (Coffea canephora) sobre a eficiencia da colheita mecanizada. O experimento foi instalado em Sao Mateus, no Espirito Santo, em 2012, com 27 clones com frutos de maturacao precoce, intermediaria e tardia. A primeira colheita foi feita apos o corte das plantas a 0,5 m acima do solo, em 2016, e a renovacao da copa. As plantas e a colheitadeira foram avaliadas em 2018. A colheitadeira foi testada as velocidades de 0,6 e 0,8 km h-1. As mensuracoes foram feitas quanto a eficiencia de derrica e colheita, a perda dos frutos no chao, aos frutos nao derricados, a desfolha com as colheitas manual e mecanizada, a forca de desprendimento e ao grau de maturacao dos frutos. Os testes com a colheitadeira de cafe indicaram viabilidade tecnica com eficiencia de 88% de colheita media e desfolha 15% menor do que a da colheita manual. A velocidade de colheita de 0,8 km h-1 resulta em maiores eficiencias de derricados e de colheita, em menores perdas no chao e em menos frutos nao derricados, independentemente dos clones avaliados. A forca de desprendimento e o grau de maturacao influenciam a eficiencia de descascamento e de colheita e a percentagem de frutos nao descascados de cafe 'Conilon'.