Data on cane yield were only available from the
experiments started in 2005 and harvested in 2006 (Table 8).
Production levels in 2005 (the year prior to the experiment)
were higher in the fields assigned to burned harvest (85.16 t/
ha) than in those assigned to green-cane harvest (75.86 t/ha);
therefore the discussion will focus on production differences
rather than absolute values. In 2006, production levels had an
average decrease of 1.2 t/ha in the fields harvested green,
whereas in burned fields production decreased by 5.1 t/ha.
A normal yield decline of 3 t/ha should be expected,
considering the age of the fields (San Carlos data). Even though
the data from this experiment are from one year only and
therefore not conclusive, the yield declines in both treatments
were found to be significantly different (sig. 0.05), which is
encouraging.