Economic Evaluation and Performance of a Tree Planting Machine Performing in Two Different Slope Classes and Conditions of Harvesting Slash

In recent years, fully mechanized planters have gained attention in Brazil on flat to steep terrain. A field study was conducted to analyze the potential of a planting machine composed of a hydraulic crawler excavator and a planter unit to perform soil preparation and planting in two slope classes and two conditions of slash presence. The experimental area was divided according to slope – undulating (8% to 20%) and strong undulating (20% to 45%) – and the presence of slash. Slope class did not significantly affect productivity, nor was there a significant interaction effect between the slope and slash factors. The presence of slash proved to be statistically different, with mean productivity of 236 seedlings hour-1 when reloading the carousel in an area without harvesting slash. Tree planting machine utilization was 75.13%, and the mechanical availability was 79.6%. The presence of slash significantly reduced the tree planting machine productivity, including the seedling reloading time, suggesting a newer research line for fasters reloading seedling systems.