African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6853

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of the pressure plates of picker cotton platforms on the efficiency and quality of cotton fibers

Hiago Renrique R. Zanetoni
  • Hiago Renrique R. Zanetoni
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Renildo Luiz Mion*
  • Renildo Luiz Mion*
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Nayra Fernandes Aguero
  • Nayra Fernandes Aguero
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Renato Bassini
  • Renato Bassini
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Cintia Michele Baraviera
  • Cintia Michele Baraviera
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Carlos Alberto Viliotti
  • Carlos Alberto Viliotti
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Jean Louis Belot
  • Jean Louis Belot
  • Mato Grosso Cotton Institute, Primavera do Leste, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Sergio Gonçalves Dutra
  • Sergio Gonçalves Dutra
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Myllena Teixeira Martins
  • Myllena Teixeira Martins
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Luiza R. Cabral Da Silva
  • Luiza R. Cabral Da Silva
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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William Lima Crisostomo
  • William Lima Crisostomo
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Carlos Alberto Viliotti
  • Carlos Alberto Viliotti
  • Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Campus Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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  •  Received: 23 March 2016
  •  Accepted: 06 May 2016
  •  Published: 22 September 2016

Abstract

An experiment was performed in a cotton-producing property located in Primavera do Leste - MT - (Brazil). the quantitative losses and the presence of bark and stems in the cotton fiber quality measuring instrument as analyzed by High Volume Instrument (HVI) was noted . The study was conducted to investigate a combined speed of work with a mechanical adjustment of the distance of the pressure plates and the screws on the platform. Another objective of this study was to determine reducing quantitative and qualitative losses of cotton fiber. The platform was set at three different velocities (1.02, 1.38 and 1.60 m s-1). Two different distances (plate with pressure – 3 mm and plate without pressure 6 mm were set as the distance between the spindles and the pressure plates. At these distances, the plants are pressed onto the spindle exerting pressure on the spindles. The collected fiber content of impurities and the efficiency of the machine were analyzed as a function of the total productivity and quantitative losses. Factorial statistical analysis was performed on the data using the Tukey test at 5% probability. A greater presence of impurities and lowest cotton crop losses was observed at the smallest distance between the spindles and the pressure plates.

Key words: Picker, cotton, fiber quality, harvest efficiency, losses.