Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico

Reducing maize postharvest storage losses is a challenge for millions of smallholder farmers in Mexico. A previous study documented the effects of storage technologies on stored grain losses. The current study follows up on those experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of diverse storage technolog...

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Main Authors: Odjo, Sylvanus, Palacios Rojas, Natalia, Burgueño, Juan, Corrado, Marina, Ortner, Tim, Verhulst, Nele
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128315
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author Odjo, Sylvanus
Palacios Rojas, Natalia
Burgueño, Juan
Corrado, Marina
Ortner, Tim
Verhulst, Nele
author_browse Burgueño, Juan
Corrado, Marina
Odjo, Sylvanus
Ortner, Tim
Palacios Rojas, Natalia
Verhulst, Nele
author_facet Odjo, Sylvanus
Palacios Rojas, Natalia
Burgueño, Juan
Corrado, Marina
Ortner, Tim
Verhulst, Nele
author_sort Odjo, Sylvanus
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Reducing maize postharvest storage losses is a challenge for millions of smallholder farmers in Mexico. A previous study documented the effects of storage technologies on stored grain losses. The current study follows up on those experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of diverse storage technologies — polypropylene bags with and/or without insecticide, hermetic metal silos, hermetic bags, recycled plastic containers, silage plastic bags, micronized lime, and standard lime — in maintaining grain and seed quality during 2017 and 2018 at six sites: three agroecologies below 500 m above sea level (masl) and three agroecologies above 2000 masl. Maize samples stored using each of the above technologies were collected before and after six months of storage. Pest-free samples were analyzed for grain composition (starch, protein, oil, ether extracts, polyphenols contents), selected physicochemical parameters (fat acidity, an indicator of biochemical changes during storage; hundred kernel weight; flotation index, an indirect parameter of grain density; color; and germination. Storage technologies did significantly affect macronutrient content, but the quality of grain stored under non-hermetic conditions was reduced, as reflected in significantly increased fat acidity and flotation index. Seed germination was less affected by the type of storage technology at sites above 2000 masl but a significant effect was observed at sites below 500 masl. On average, the germination capacity of seed stored using non-hermetic technologies (polypropylene bags with or without insecticide or lime) dropped 56% at lowland sites, as compared to 2.8% for seed stored using hermetic metal silos or hermetic bags. Airtight technologies also minimized quality losses by reducing metabolic activities. By limiting insect and fungi infestation and reducing quantity and quality degradation in stored maize, hermetic technologies can contribute to Mexican smallholder farmers' food security.
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spelling CGSpace1283152025-11-06T13:09:17Z Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico Odjo, Sylvanus Palacios Rojas, Natalia Burgueño, Juan Corrado, Marina Ortner, Tim Verhulst, Nele storage maize grain seed quality postharvest losses farming systems seed Reducing maize postharvest storage losses is a challenge for millions of smallholder farmers in Mexico. A previous study documented the effects of storage technologies on stored grain losses. The current study follows up on those experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of diverse storage technologies — polypropylene bags with and/or without insecticide, hermetic metal silos, hermetic bags, recycled plastic containers, silage plastic bags, micronized lime, and standard lime — in maintaining grain and seed quality during 2017 and 2018 at six sites: three agroecologies below 500 m above sea level (masl) and three agroecologies above 2000 masl. Maize samples stored using each of the above technologies were collected before and after six months of storage. Pest-free samples were analyzed for grain composition (starch, protein, oil, ether extracts, polyphenols contents), selected physicochemical parameters (fat acidity, an indicator of biochemical changes during storage; hundred kernel weight; flotation index, an indirect parameter of grain density; color; and germination. Storage technologies did significantly affect macronutrient content, but the quality of grain stored under non-hermetic conditions was reduced, as reflected in significantly increased fat acidity and flotation index. Seed germination was less affected by the type of storage technology at sites above 2000 masl but a significant effect was observed at sites below 500 masl. On average, the germination capacity of seed stored using non-hermetic technologies (polypropylene bags with or without insecticide or lime) dropped 56% at lowland sites, as compared to 2.8% for seed stored using hermetic metal silos or hermetic bags. Airtight technologies also minimized quality losses by reducing metabolic activities. By limiting insect and fungi infestation and reducing quantity and quality degradation in stored maize, hermetic technologies can contribute to Mexican smallholder farmers' food security. 2022-03 2023-01-29T16:43:32Z 2023-01-29T16:43:32Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128315 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Odjo, S., Palacios-Rojas, N., Burgueño, J., Corrado, M., Ortner, T., & Verhulst, N. (2022). Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico. Journal of Stored Products Research, 96, 101954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2022.101954
spellingShingle storage
maize
grain
seed quality
postharvest losses
farming systems
seed
Odjo, Sylvanus
Palacios Rojas, Natalia
Burgueño, Juan
Corrado, Marina
Ortner, Tim
Verhulst, Nele
Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico
title Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico
title_full Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico
title_fullStr Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico
title_short Hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in Mexico
title_sort hermetic storage technologies preserve maize seed quality and minimize grain quality loss in smallholder farming systems in mexico
topic storage
maize
grain
seed quality
postharvest losses
farming systems
seed
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128315
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