This study was carried out to determine the impact of traffic on soil compaction, crop and energy consumption during the sugarcane harvest in the Cauca river valley (Colombia). Four experiments with four replicates were harvested with different systems. Plots were mechanically harvested with self tipping, HD8000, HD12000 and HD20000 trailers and evaluated by traffic intensity (IT), direct stool traffic, penetration resistance and fuel consumption. Heavy trailers caused a greater effect due to a greater IT and direct stool traffic. IT varied between 241 and 317 Mg km ha-1. Stool traffic at the end of field varied from 8 to 18 m per furrow, meanwhile stool traffic along the furrow varied from 5 to 24%. There were no significant differences for productivity up to 13.9% favoring light trailers. Semi-mechanical harvesting was realized with trains of trailers, IT fell down to a 60 - 113 Mg km ha-1 range because a larger area is harvested during one pass of the equipment, but stool traffic increased up to 39 m per furrow for the longer trains, there was a 4% non significant difference for productivity from light to heavy trailers. Furthermore, light trailers with an adequate management are better options with lower energy consumption and emissions.
traffic intensity; stool traffic; trailer; fuel consumption
