Evaluating the Quality of Maize Grains Stored in a Modified Metallic Silo
1Oniya, O. O., 2Fashina, A. B., 3Iyalabani, K. A. and 4Amusa, S. B.
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.M.B 4000 Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
Corresponding author’s E-mail: amusabs2009@gmail.com
DOI: 10.36108/laujoces/9102/20(0201)
Abstract
Maize is known to be an important crop for food security in developing countries; and farmers have continued to experience post-harvest losses which lead to reduction in the quality or quantity of maize grains. The main causes of post-harvest losses are the storage insect, pests, improper drying and poor storage systems. Poor storage accounts for 5-10% loss and 5% loss is attributed to insect attacks. This research modified a one tonne metallic silo with the aim of studying the effects on moisture content and hectolitre weight of the maize grains. The moisture content was determined using moisture meter while the hectolitre weight was determined using extruded brass material. The study lasted for six months and analyses were carried out on the data collected using Duncan multiple range tests at 95% level of confidence. The moisture content was observed to reduce from 13.5% to 11.4% w.b while hectoliter weight which is the main determinant of the market value of the grain was observed to increase from 276 kg/ml to 288 kg/ml, this implies that there was increase in the cost value of the grain after six month of storage. The results showed that variations in moisture content along storage period were significant at (p ≤ 0.05).
Keyword: Hectoliter weight, Moisture content, Metallic silo, Maize.