Feasibility of long term bulk paddy storage method for local conditions

Abstract

a study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of silo method for long term bulk paddy storage and the effect on grain quality during storage period. A hopper bottom type meal silo of seven ton capacity was used for the experiment. As the control experiment, paddy was stored in 50 kg polysack bags. Freshly harvested properly cleaned and dried paddy was loaded to silo for the storage trial. The experiment was conducted for six months of period at 30°C ± 4 of ambient temperature and 67% ± 5 of relative humidity. Temperature, relative humidity readings. Moisture contents of paddy grains were measured at initial stage, once a week during the storage period, and final stge. Insect damages, milling qualities and thousand grain mass were determined at monthly intervals. The ambient and inside temperature ranged within 8 oC to but there was no significant difference (p=0.05) of temperatures in outside and inside the silo. Relative humidity during six months period fluctuated by 10% that did not any effect on the grain moisture content. The grain moisture content at the store period slightly changed within 1.2%. The degree of insect damage to grains increased in both silo and controls along storage period. The mass loss due insect infestation was 40% lower in paddy samples drawn from silo than that of bags during storage. The total milling yield and head rice yield of paddy had reduced during the storage period in both silo and control experiment. Thousand grain mass of paddy stored in silo had changed by 3g while this was 5g in control. Silo system can be used for long term paddy storage under local conditions.