Storage of soybean with high percentage of grains damaged by bugs in the crop

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bugs are pest insects that, when not adequately controlled, may cause significant losses in the soybean crop. Their damage to grains compromises delivery in the storage unit and storage success. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate, during storage, the effect of temperature and moisture content on soybean grain quality with high damage caused by bugs in the crop. The experiment was set in a completely randomized design with a 2 x 4 x 5 factorial design, with two moisture contents (11.75 and 13.84% (w.b.)), four storage temperatures (20, 25, 30 and 35 °C), and five evaluation periods (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 months). The percentage of damaged/fermented, damaged, fermented, broken grains, and electrical conductivity were analyzed. It can be inferred that bug-damaged soybean grains have reduced quality when stored at higher temperatures and for more extended periods. It is not recommended to store bug-damaged grains in moisture contents of 13.84% (w.b.) at temperatures above 30 °C for longer than four months. Grains stored at 35 °C when not damaged by bugs, ferment after six months of storage. Bug-damaged grains evolve to fermented grains during storage.

Keywords

• Glycine max
• pest-insect
• moisture content