The current scenario of Agroforestry Systems (AFS) worldwide lacks specific machinery, resulting in practically all operations being carried out manually. This leads to a significant physical effort for small-scale farmers and limits the implementation of AFS to small areas. The objective of the study was to evaluate the suitability of existing machines for performing agroforestry tasks. This research utilizes Descriptive Statistics and Exponentially Weighted Moving Average methods to evaluate the data and compare the treatments, where different machines are used to cut Mombaça grass (Megathyrsus maximus Jacq): (i) costal brushcutter (CBC); (ii) tractor-mounted rotary brushcutter (RBC); and (iii) mini grain reaper machine (GRM). The experiments were conducted in Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil. GRM is recommended for achieving greater biomass production, reducing raking time, and minimizing operational costs. CBC is suitable for smaller areas due to its affordability and slow operation, which requires significant physical effort. RBC is recommended for reducing working time, physical effort, and personnel costs, making it suitable for larger-scale contexts.

More from our Archive

• DOI: 10.3390/foods12142704 2023

  Climate Change—A Global Threat Resulting in Increasing Mycotoxin Occurrence

  Jovana Kos, Mislav Anić, Bojana Radić, Manuela Zadravec, Elizabet Janić Hajnal, Jelka Pleadin

• DOI: 10.3390/plants12132565 2023

  Nanotechnology in Food and Plant Science: Challenges and Future Prospects

  Mohammad Azam Ansari

• DOI: 10.3390/plants12132519 2023

  Synergistic Effects of Rhizobacteria and Salicylic Acid on Maize Salt-Stress Tolerance

  Qasim Ali, Maqshoof Ahmad, Muhammad Kamran, Sana Ashraf, Muhammad Shabaan, Babar Hussain Babar, Usman Zulfiqar, Fasih Ullah Haider, M. Ajmal Ali, Mohamed S Elshikh

• DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14112 2023

  MdNAC104 positively regulates apple cold tolerance via CBF‐dependent and CBF‐independent pathways

  Chuang Mei, Jie Yang, Quanlin Mei, Dongfeng Jia, Peng Yan, Beibei Feng, Aisajan Mamat, Xiaoqing Gong, Qingmei Guan, Ke Mao, Jixun Wang, Fengwang Ma

• DOI: 10.3390/plants12132469 2023

  Developing Sustainable Agriculture Systems in Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Production by Using Chitosan and Chitin-Based Biostimulants

  Wenli Sun, Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian, Spyridon A. Petropoulos, Nazanin Shahrajabian

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.19100 2023

  Alternative splicing of <scp><i>TaHSFA6e</i></scp> modulates heat shock protein–mediated translational regulation in response to heat stress in wheat

  Jingjing Wen, Zhen Qin, Lv Sun, Yumei Zhang, Dongli Wang, Huiru Peng, Yingyin Yao, Zhaorong Hu, Zhongfu Ni, Qixin Sun, Mingming Xin

• DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae9070757 2023

  Mapping of the Susceptibility of Colombian Musaceae Lands to a Deadly Disease: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4

  Gustavo Rodríguez-Yzquierdo, Barlin O. Olivares, Oscar Silva-Escobar, Antonio González-Ulloa, Mauricio Soto-Suarez, Mónica Betancourt-Vásquez

• DOI: 10.3390/fermentation9070619 2023

  Automatic Control of Chemolithotrophic Cultivation of Cupriavidus necator: Optimization of Oxygen Supply for Enhanced Bioplastic Production

  Vera Lambauer, Alexander Permann, Zdeněk Petrášek, Vanja Subotić, Christoph Hochenauer, Regina Kratzer, Markus Reichhartinger

• DOI: 10.3390/foods12132529 2023

  Potential Beneficial Effects and Pharmacological Properties of Ergosterol, a Common Bioactive Compound in Edible Mushrooms

  Panthakarn Rangsinth, Rajasekharan Sharika, Nattaporn Pattarachotanant, Chatrawee Duangjan, Chamaiphron Wongwan, Chanin Sillapachaiyaporn, Sunita Nilkhet, Nichaporn Wongsirojkul, Anchalee Prasansuklab, Tewin Tencomnao, George Pak-Heng Leung, Siriporn Chuchawankul

• DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad036 2023

  Vascular variants in seed plants—a developmental perspective

  Israel L Cunha Neto