PARAMETERS OF OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF SOIL PREPARATION AND SEMI-MECHANIZED TRANSPLANTATION OF COFFEE SEEDLING

ABSTRACT In recent years, the coffee has undergone major changes, and in case of transplanting operation, the use of machinery has proved to be a viable alternative to producers. Prior knowledge of the influence of the variables that influence the operational capability of these machines can generate models to estimate precisely these parameters, thus enabling the optimization and management of mechanized operations. One of this tool is the use of the response surface methodology, which allows checking the influence of different independent variables and the response generated to allow a great value. This study aims to verify the use of the response surface method to determine parameters of mechanized operations in coffee plant implantation. The results show that the number of seedlings deposited increases with the increase in operating speed. In contrast, the adoption of higher speeds decreases the efficiency of the evaluated field operations. The response surface methodology was an important tool to check the effect of variables on performance parameters, and the generated models showed high significance allowing the identification of the effects of the operational speed and the average length of the cultivation line.