The aim of this work was to evaluate tractor performance in soil with three different surfaces: firm soil without covering, mobilized soil, and firm soil with vegetal residue of corn and braquiária, for four forward speeds. The experiment was accomplished in three plots determined by the soil conditions. In each plot four treatments were composed by the forward speed obtained by the changes of the tractor gear. Six repetitions were used in each plot, totaling 72 experimental units, combination of the traction, slip of the rear and front wheels, forward speed and fuel consumption. The values of the tractor performance obtained led to the conclusion that in the firm soil without vegetable covering the tractor performance was better, followed by the soil with the firm surface and covered with corn straw and braquiária and finally the mobilized soil. The best tractor performance was obtained in the C1 gear that supplied the forward speed of 6 km h-1.
agricultural machine; test; traction
