Marco Giron
La Estrella Sugar Mill, Panama; magiron@yahoo.com
In Estrella Sugar Mill, Panama, due to excessive damage caused to the cane harvester and the cane left in the field during the harvest process, it was decided to improve the conditions of the furrow in all its sugarcane fields. Furrow shape was improved after the harvest by a double subsoiling and disc cultivation of soil. Furrows were shaped to acceptable distances for mechanical harvesting and crop mechanization; and width not exceeding 60 cm and a height of 15 cm. During the last several years, there has been a reduction in damage to the bearing and suspension systems of harvesters by 85% and a reduction of cane left in the field by 65%. By having appropriate dimensions of the furrow for mechanical harvesting and mechanization in general, a reduction in harvester damage and of cane left in the field after harvest is achieved.