Introduction:

Marabú, Dichrostachys cinerea (L.), is identified as an important source of biomass for electricity generation in Cuba, so large quantities are demanded, forcing its harvest mechanization. Its obtained properties under mechanized conditions have not been profundity studied.

Objective:

To determine elemental composition, proximate analysis, ash content, ash chemical composition and heat value of marabú harvested with the BMH-480 machine with H 600 head as fuel.

Materials and Methods:

By direct harvesting process observations, the factors that could have the greatest influence on marabú as a fuel, properties, were determined. Harvested marabú corresponding samples were obtained and their properties were determined in several laboratories.

Results and Discussion:

In the first part of a two articles series, several of the most important properties of mechanically harvested marabú and their dependence with field density and machine cutting height, are presented.

Conclusions:

Elemental composition, proximate analysis and dry mass combustion specific heat (higher 19,15 MJ/kg and lower 17,85 MJ/kg) were determined. A tendency to increase the heat of combustion with the cutting height was found and ash content mean value varied between 4,07 and 4,45%.

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