Abstract

Corn belongs to the family of Poaceaes, and the corn grain is used mainly for human and animal consumption. This study aims to assess the total losses of maize grain in the harvest, losses in loading from the harvester to the truck and transportation losses up to its first point of reception. The experiment was conducted in the city of Itaipulândia-PR, Brazil. To perform the sampling of the losses in the crop methods of total loss provided by EMBRAPA, for the losses in loading we use samples of 24.5 m², for the evaluation of losses in transportation, the methodology was the determination of fixed points of 15 m² where the mass of the lost grains was obtained, the obtained values were extrapolated to the distance up to the first point of reception. The obtained results were subjected to analysis of variance and the averages were compared with the Tukey’s test at 5% probability using the Assistat Beta program. It was observed that the lowest loss on the harvest was at the speed of 4.5 km / h, already on loading the smallest loss it was at low rotation per minute of the harvester, for loading were statistically equal.

Key words: Zea mays, Embrapa, fixed points.