Ângulo de deslocamento do pulverizador influencia as perdas por amassamento na cultura da soja

Abstract

With the rising costs of agricultural inputs, the productive sector seeks ways to reduce losses and increase profits. Ground application is a significant ally to farmers, as it facilitates the management of pests, weeds, and diseases. However, this agricultural operation leads to losses due to the compaction of plants caused by the wheels of agricultural machinery moving through the area during application. To quantify these losses, this study aimed to measure the compaction of plants and the economic and yield crop losses based on the movement directions of ground applications relative to the planting line in soybean crops. The experiment was conducted in commercial agricultural areas in Santa Helena, State of Paraná. The experimental design was based on the basic Statistical Quality Control (SQC) principles, containing ten sampling points per treatment to quantify plant compaction. The treatments consisted of movement angles (15° and 90°) of the self-propelled sprayer relative to the planting line for soybean cultivation. The application used the self-propelled model Starker 2300, with a 31-meter boom and 62 spray tips spaced 0.50 meters apart. A field survey was carried out on soybean crops to quantify the compaction caused by all applications in the culture. The evaluated areas had the same geometric shapes and dimensions, measuring the variables compaction, productivity, operational, practical, and theoretical field capacity. Control charts of individual values, cause-and-effect diagrams, and economic analyses were created. It was concluded that the movement angle of the self-propelled sprayer relative to the planting line of 90° caused the highest number of compacted plants and the greatest economic loss per hectare compared to the 15° angle.