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Appropriate Temperatures and Moisture Contents of Cereals and Canola for Safe Storage | |
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From the Sept 30, 2009 Issue of Agri-News | |
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| | There have been unusually high air temperatures during harvest and some producers are coping with an unusually high amount of green material present in the grain sample due to variable crop maturity stages when combining. For these reasons, grain storage may be tricky for some producers this year. The two main factors to consider at this time are ensuring that grain temperatures are adequately low and that the stored material is dry. The presence and build up of insects, mites, moulds and fungi, which are all affected by grain temperature and grain moisture content, will affect the grain quality and duration of grain storage.
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"If a higher than normal grain temperature is a concern, grain temperature can be lowered via aeration," says Neil Whatley, crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. "If a higher than normal grain moisture level is a concern, stored grain can be mechanically dried with a grain drier. Moving and mixing grain with cooler grain can also prevent stored grain deterioration.
"Due to its high oil content, canola is more susceptible to deterioration in storage than cereal crops, so must be stored at a lower moisture level to prevent mould. Also, stored canola differs from stored cereals because canola continues a high respiration rate for up to six weeks after combining, which can raise the temperature and moisture content of the stored grain, producing conditions favourable for mould growth. Aeration bins are the most effective method to control this situation."
Researchers have devised some handy tools to assist with understanding the effects of varying moisture contents and temperatures on cereal and canola storage. Table 1 indicates the effect of temperature and moisture content on allowable storage time of wheat, oats, and barley, and Table 2 indicates the effect of temperature and moisture content on the storage quality of canola over five months.
Table 1: Effect of temperature and moisture content on allowable storage time of wheat, oats, and barley
Table 2. Effect of temperature and moisture content on the quality of canola over 5 months
"Dealing with extra green vegetative material has been frustrating for producers during harvest," says Whatley. "Although a lengthy period of unusually high air temperatures was welcomed in the province during September to assist with getting the crop off, it also meant that grain has gone into the bin at fairly warm temperatures. Taking some extra care to prevent stored grain from spoiling will ensure that the harvest of 2009 ended up much better than it was projected earlier in the growing season."
Contact:
Neil Whatley
310-FARM (3276) |
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For more information about the content of this document, contact Neil Whatley.
This document is maintained by Rita Splawinski.
This information published to the web on September 30, 2009.
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