The dvances in sugar cane mechanized harvest provided the management of new technologies and productivity gain to the crop. The control of quality process of sugar cane harvest is essential to reduce losses. However, studies regarding the subject are still scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the losses in the mechanized harvest of sugar cane, using them as markers of harvest quality process. The data was collected in two properties near Jaboticabal - SP, Brazil, on SP80-3280 variety, in 3rd and 4th cuts. The sugar cane plantation port was characterized, and, after the harvest, an area of 1.5 ha was marked, being 25 points, with row spacing of 12 x 50 m, quantifying the visible losses. Later, the statistical process quality was applied by the average, which is three times higher or lower than the standard deviation, being these control limits superior and inferior, respectively. The loss average of untied piece was statistically higher than the loss average of fixed piece, whole cane, top and stubbles. The occurrence of losses of splinted stalks was lower for the fourth cut in relation to the third curt, whereas the losses of fixed piece and stubbles were lower in the third cut when compared to the losses in the fourth cut. In each cut, the averages of total losses were similar to the values found in bibliography. Untied piece was the variable of visible losses with higher percentage of occurrence. The losses showed that the mechanized harvest is not under the statistical process control.
visible losses; sugar cane harvest machine; quality control
