Performance of hermetic storage bags for maize grains under farmer-managed conditions: Good practice versus local reality |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Engineering Sciences and Technology, P.O. Box 3003, Morogoro, Tanzania;2. Sokoine University of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Economics & Business Studies, P.O. Box 3007, Morogoro, Tanzania;3. Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany;4. Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science and Production (DCSP), P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania;1. International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya;2. Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 29053-00625, Nairobi, Kenya;3. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;1. Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia;2. Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 489, Asella, Ethiopia;3. Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA;4. Holeta Agricultural Research Center, Holeta, Ethiopia;5. Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC, USA;1. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), BP 240, Maradi, Niger;2. Department of Entomology, Purdue University, 901 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;1. Unidad Integrada Balcarce (FCA, UNMdP – EEA Balcarce, INTA), Balcarce, Bs. As, Argentina;2. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible (INTA-FCA), Balcarce, Provincia de Bs. As, Argentina;1. Soil Science & Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zimbabwe, Box MP 167 Harare, Zimbabwe;2. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK |
| |
| Abstract: | There are various types of grain storage bags available to farmers in tropical countries. However, these bags differ in price, quality, and reduced post-harvest losses due to insect pests and mould infestation. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of three types of storage bags of Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS), Grain pro-super (GPS) and woven (WN) bags under assumed small farmer’s storage practices in the sub-tropical climatic conditions. The practice of weekly routine opening of the bags was compared with the recommended practice of keeping the bags closed for at least 3 months. Under laboratory experiment, insect population, moisture content, grain humidity, and temperature were measured at the weekly intervals while under farmer’s setting, moisture content (%) of maize and percentage of insect damage were measured after 3 and 6 months of storage at the farmer’s homestead. Considering the routine weekly opening effect, the PICS bag kept a low grain humidity average (56.6%) compared to the Grain pro-super bag (64.2%) and Woven bag (71.5%). The PICS bag reduced the insect population to an average of zero (0.4) compared to GPS (6.5) and the WN (14.8). Under farmer’s conditions, the mean difference in the percentage of insect damage between the PICS and GPS were insignificant (P > 0.05) at both 3 and 6 months of storage, and the insect damage throughout decreased with time. The results of this study indicate that PICS bag may support positively the practice of routine weekly opening compared to the GPS and WN in the sub-tropical climatic conditions. |
| |
| Keywords: | Hermetic storage Maize weevils Opening routine Storage practices Grain-loses |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
