MECHANICAL HARVEST OF PROCESSING TOMATOES: INFLUENCE ON PERCENTAGE OF DAMAGED FRUIT AND IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATION GREEN FRUITS/ROTTEN FRUITS

Abstract

The mechanical harvesting of processing tomatoes using a "Sandei Bs-81" mechanical harvester increased the percentage of mechanically damaged fruits when compared to manual harvesting. The percentage of fruits without mechanical damage at the end of the unloading belt was almost totally explained by the independent variable, % of green fruits / % of rotten fruits, according to the following adjusted curve y = x / (0,001451 + 0.010438 - x).