STATUS OF SUGAR-BEET HARVESTING IN EUROPE - COMPARISON OF HARVESTING SYSTEMS

A harvester test at the same location at four-year intervals provides the farmer as well as the sugar and farm machine industry with the nec essary information far optimization of sugar beet harvesting. The test data should also enable the extension service and scientists to devel op expert and decision support systems. As a result of the test, the s tate-of-the-art of sugar beet harvesting is defined. According to the test and related surveys, harvesters today have field capacities rangi ng from 40 t/h to 230 t/h, tank capacities ranging from 5.5 t (two-row ) to 26 t (six-row) and average harvesting qualities of 5.8% dirt tare , 1.9% total mass loss and 75.1% acceptable topping. Appropriate chass is design, according to steering and tyre dimensions avoid irreversibl e soil compression. Optimized machine adjustment and precision farming will require sugar beet information systems.