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ENERGY AND ECONOMIC COSTS OF A TRACTOR – TRANSPLANTER SET IN TOBACCO TRANSPLANTING OPERATIONS (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Abstract:

The Tabaganesha 2 tobacco farm is located in the canton of Valencia, province of Los Ríos, Ecuador. In 2017, the administration in charge introduced agricultural machinery to increase labor productivity and reduce costs for the use of day laborers in tobacco planting. The objective of this research was to determine total energy and economic costs per hour, and worked area for, the agricultural set Deutz Fahr Agrofarm 420-T tractor and Checchi Magli Unitrium II transplanter, in tobacco transplanting. Energy and economic indicators as well as subsequent costs of the mechanized set were determined by using methodologies for energy cost estimation and the cuban standard NC 34-38: 2003. The total hourly energy cost, EST, was 304.89 MJ h-1, while the energy sequestered by fuel, ESc, was the main indicator, with a share of 31.8%, registering a cost per worked area, EST (ha), of 1,172.65 MJ ha-1. In addition, the direct operating cost, Gd, reached 243.03 USD h-1, while the cost per product used, Gp, was the characteristic indicator (83.6%), establishing a cost per worked area, Gex, of 934.73 USD ha-1