O experimento foi conduzido na FZEA/USP, Pirassununga, de julho de 1998 a junho de 2000, com objetivo de descrever os efeitos de intensidades de pastejo e de períodos de ocupação da pastagem na massa de forragem, perdas e valor nutritivo do capim-Mombaça. Foram estudados os efeitos de três intensidades de pastejo, representadas por três ofertas de forragem: baixa = (4%) - 4kg de matéria seca verde (MSV) para cada 100kg de peso animal em pastejo por dia; média = (8%) e alta = (12%) e dois períodos de ocupação dos piquetes, um e três dias. A área experimental constituía-se de 24 piquetes de 400 m2 cada (20 x 20 metros), divididos em quatro blocos de seis piquetes cada. Foram considerados dois períodos experimentais: época das águas (verão agrostológico), quando foram realizados quatro pastejos, com período de descanso de 35 dias e época da seca (inverno agrostológico), sendo realizados dois pastejos, com período de descanso de 70 dias. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos completos ao acaso, com um arranjo fatorial 3 X 2 para tratamentos (3 ofertas x 2 períodos de ocupação), em parcelas subdivididas no tempo (pastejos), com 4 repetições. No verão, a produção de matéria seca verde do capim-Mombaça foi maior quando se fez o manejo mais leniente da pastagem, porém utilizando-se de menor período de permanência dos animais em pastejo. No verão e inverno, a relação F/H foi maior para o pastejo mais intenso e período de ocupação, condicionada por pastejo não seletivo e de maior consumo, perdas ou menor produção de hastes. No decorrer dos pastejos, o menor tempo de permanência nos piquetes condicionou a menor participação de lâminas foliares. A quantidade de material senescente do pré-pastejo foi maior quando se utilizou o pastejo mais leniente em associação com o menor período de permanência na pastagem durante o verão. Mesmo assim, a produção líquida de material verde foi maior. No inverno, apesar do material senescente ter sido crescente nas ofertas, a permanência de 3 dias, em pastejo mais intenso (4%), condicionou uma menor quantidade de material senescente. As condições climáticas foram determinantes no processo produtivo da planta forrageira, condicionando o balanço entre produção e perdas por senescência. Quando o pastejo foi mais leniente, a quantidade de matéria seca verde residual foi alta, mas independe do tempo de permanência. No entanto, quando se realizou o pastejo drástico, o menor tempo de permanência condicionou maior resíduo, porém com maiores perdas de matéria seca no chão. No verão e no inverno, o menor tempo de permanência dos animais nos piquetes condicionou as maiores perdas de matéria seca na planta pós pastejo. No entanto, essa foi compensada pela maior quantidade de matéria seca verde residual. As ofertas de forragem de 4% e 8%, no verão, e de 8% e 12%, no inverno, favoreceram maior consumo aparente de matéria seca. O mesmo comportamento foi observado para 3 dias de ocupação nas duas estações. No pastejo mais leniente, apesar de favorecer a seletividade, a planta apresentou folhas de menor teor protéico, nas duas estações. No entanto, o menor tempo de permanência nos piquetes, no verão, e o maior tempo, no inverno, num pastejo mais intenso, permitiram aos animais consumir uma lâmina foliar mais protéica e com menor teor de parede celular. No final do verão, o período de ocupação de 1 dia ou as ofertas de 4% e 8% apresentaram maiores teores protéicos. Por outro lado, os teores de fibra em detergente neutro e ácido oscilaram, mas permaneceram menores na oferta de 4%, no verão e no inverno. A relação inversamente proporcional entre os teores protéicos e de parede celular, com a diminuição da intensidade de pastejo, nas duas estações, condicionou a degradabilidade da matéria seca. Os baixos teores protéicos e os altos teores de parede celular, do resíduo, condicionaram o momento de retirada dos animais da pastagem, sendo mais crítico no inverno, devido sua quantidade e valor nutritivo. / This trial was conducted between July 1998 and June 2000 aiming at evaluating the effects of grazing intensity and grazing periods on mass of herbage, losses and nutritional value of Mombaçagrass. Treatments were comprised of combinations between three grazing pressures, represented by three levels of herbage allowance: low (4%); medium (8%) and high (12%), equivalent to 4, 8 and 12 kg of green dry matter/100 kg of body weight/day, and two grazing periods: one or three days. The experimental area was divided up into 24 400m2 paddocks (20 x 20m2), splitted into 4 blocks with 6 paddocks each. Grazing during "summer" were performed according to a 35-day rest period (4 grazings); and during "winter" according to a 70-day rest period (2 grazings). The experimental design was a complete randomized block in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, replicated four times. In "summer", Mombaçagrass dry matter yield was higher with lower grazing intensity and fewer days of animal grazing. The leaf/stem ratio was higher for hard grazings with longer grazing periods, since animals were not selective or either loss or less stem production was observed. Leaf lamina proportion decreased with grazing duration of 1 day in relation to 3 days. During "summer", the association between lower grazing intensity and short grazing period resulted in higher quantity of senescent material for the next period. However, net dry matter production was higher under those circumstances. In "winter", a three-day grazing period associated with intensive grazing (4%) resulted in a lower proportion of senescent material. Climatic conditions were important in the forage production system, providing the equilibrium between production and senescence losses. When grazing intensity is lower, amount of residual dry matter is higher, however it is independent of grazing period. However under high grazing intensity, shorter time of grazing lead to higher residual dry matter, but with larger losses of material on soil. During both "summer" and "winter", the shorter period of grazing, the higher the losses of dry matter after grazing period, although plants still kept more residual green tissues after grazing. Herbage allowances of 4 and 8 % ("summer") and 8 and 12% ("winter"), resulted in a bigger apparent dry matter consumption. The same result was observed for the 3 – day grazing period for both seasons. Lenient grazing, although favoring animal selectivity, resulted in plants with lower leaf protein content during both seasons. However, short grazing period during "summer" and long grazing period during "winter", when associated with hard grazing (4%), resulted in leaf tissues containing more protein with lower cell wall content. By the end of "summer", paddocks grazed for 1 day or at 4 or 8% of herbage allowance, showed higher leaf protein content. On the other hand, although neutral and acid detergent fiber content was somewhat variable, they were lower at low herbage allowance (4%), both in "summer" and "winter". The negative relationship between protein and cell wall content, when grazing intensity was reduced increasing herbage allowances, in both seasons, resulted in lower herbage dry matter degradability, lower protein and higher cell wall content in the residual forage at the time animals were removed from the paddocks. This was particularly critical in "winter", when residual herbage exhibited the lowest nutritive value.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:48:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana_Claudia_Radis.pdf: 406995 bytes, checksum: 1a46124bebb42d220864083741fb9bc0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-29 / The study was conducted in greenhouse at the Center for Experiment Stations to the Center Agricultural sciences, the UNIOESTE - Campus Marechal Cândido Rondon, in Oxisoil, with evaluate the structural and quality of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã in different ages and heights of cut. The experimental design was a randomized block in factorial arrangement of 4x4 (21, 28, 35 and 42 days regrowth and 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm cutting height), with triplicates. The experiment was installed in January 2009, being conducted by October of the same year. The structural characteristics and production were assessed at the time of the cuts and the composition was determined in the material sampled by when felled. The effects of age of regrowth and cutting heights were compared by analysis regression and the sections were compared using the test Tukey a 5% probability. The highest density of tillers culminated with a higher proportion of leaves in relation to the rods obtained from the fourth cut. Increased issue of tillers with the passage of the cuts generated tiller less vigorous, less height, length and thickness of the pseudostem. For leaf / stem significance was found between the variables, the greater respect leaf / stem was obtained at the age of 35 days from the which possibly had a higher rate of senescence leaves, reducing leaf / stem. At the time of sward there was significance between the interactions; The unfolding of the interaction time and age showed a quadratic positive at 5 cm and linear negative at 10, 15 and 20 cm high in interaction between age and height of cutting was observed quadratic positive the first cut, quadratic negative to the second cut and a positive linear for the fourth cut. For plant height was interaction between cutting height and the number of court where the maximum height observed in this interaction occurred at 10 cm cutting the first cut, which was obtained when 42 cm plant height. The length of stem decreased as the ages of regrowth in relation to cutoffs, where the largest length was obtained to 21 days for the first cut. Was no effect significant interactions of age and height of regrowth cut, regrowth age and time of cutting and cutting and cutting for the variable thickness of stem, generating higher thicknesses in frequent cutting and advanced age. Between nutritional characteristics resulted in higher production dry matter for the second cut in the age 28 and 35 days of growth at 5 and 10 cm cutting height. In levels of mineral matter observed significant differences between interactions height and age, age and height and cutting and cutting; can be observed variation between the levels. Also reported an increase in the FDN in the highest 10 and 15 cm and a decrease in content in the highest 5 and 20 cm. To the ADF was observed between the variables fall studied, with lower production at 42 days, with 20 cm cutting height and the fourth cut. The protein were significantly influenced by interactions age and height, age and height and cut and cut, there higher levels at 21 days of age, between 5 and 10 cm cutting height and the first cut. The ages and heights cutting influence on the structural and nutrition, suggesting that the correct management of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã can be beneficial to increase animal performance and improve the quality nutrition of pastures / O Estudo foi desenvolvido em cultivo protegido do Núcleo de Estações Experimentais pertencente ao Centro de Ciências agrárias, da UNIOESTE Campus Marechal Cândido Rondon, em Latossolo Vermelho Eutroférrico, com o objetivo de avaliar características estruturais e qualitativas do capim Piatã em diferentes idades e alturas de corte. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial de 4x4 (21, 28, 35 e 42 dias de rebrotação e 5, 10, 15 e 20 cm de altura de corte), com três repetições cada. O experimento foi instalado em Janeiro de 2009, sendo conduzido até outubro do mesmo ano. As características estruturais e produtivas foram avaliadas na ocasião dos cortes e a composição bromatológica foi determinada no material amostrado por ocasião do corte. Os efeitos das idades de rebrota e alturas de corte foram comparadas por meio de análise de regressão e os cortes foram comparados por meio do teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. A maior densidade de perfilhos culminou com maior proporção de folhas em relação às hastes obtido no quarto corte. O aumento na emissão de perfilhos com o decorrer dos cortes gerou perfilhos menos vigorosos, com menor altura, comprimento e espessura do pseudocolmo. Para relação folha/caule houve significância entre as variáveis; a maior relação folha/caule foi obtida na idade de 35 dias, a partir da qual, possivelmente, ocorreu maior taxa de senescência de folhas, reduzindo a relaçao folha/caule. Na altura do dossel forrageiro observou-se significância entre as interações; O desdobramento da interação altura e idade demonstrou comportamento quadrático positivo aos 5 cm e linear negativo aos 10, 15 e 20 cm de altura; na interação entre idade e altura de corte observou-se comportamento quadrático positivo ao primeiro corte, quadrático negativo ao segundo corte e linear positivo para o quarto corte. Em relação a altura da planta houve interação entre as alturas de corte e o número de corte onde a máxima altura observada nesta interação deu-se a 10 cm de corte ao primeiro corte, onde obteve-se altura de 42 cm de altura da planta. O comprimento de haste diminuiu conforme as idades de rebrota em relação aos cortes efetuados, onde o maior comprimento foi obtido aos 21 dias para o primeiro corte. Foi constatado efeito significativo das interações idade de rebrota e altura de corte, idade de rebrota e corte e altura de corte e corte para a variável espessura de colmo, obtendo maiores espessuras em cortes freqüentes e idades avançadas. Entre as características nutricionais obteve-se maior produção de matéria seca para o segundo corte nas idade 28 e 35 dias de rebrota aos 5 e 10 cm de altura de corte. Nos teores de matéria mineral observou-se significância entre as interações altura e idade, idade e corte e altura e corte; podendo ser observada variação entre os teores. Foi observada elevação nos teores de FDN nas alturas 10 e 15 cm e decréscimo neste teor nas alturas 5 e 20 cm. Para os teores de FDA observou-se queda entre as variáveis estudadas, havendo menor produção aos 42 dias, com 20 cm de altura de corte e ao quarto corte. Os teores de proteína foram influenciados significativamente pelas interações idade e altura, idade e corte e altura e corte; havendo maiores teores aos 21 dias de rebrota, entre 5 e 10 cm de altura de corte e ao primeiro corte. As idades e alturas de corte influenciaram nas características estruturais e nutricionais, sugerindo que o manejo correto da Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã pode ser benéfica para elevar os índices produtivos e melhorar a qualidade nutricional das pastagens

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Potato tubers can be used as food or seed. Potatoes are mostly sold for tablestock and processing consumptions. Each destination has its own requirements to attend consumers exigencies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the processing quality and physiological aging of potato tubers produced during spring and autumn growing conditions in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Tubers of 15 potato clones were evaluated for processing quality during spring 2003 and autumn 2004. The best performance of chips color, dry matter, and reduced sugar was obtained with potatoes of the clones SMIJ461-1, SMIJ319-1, SMIJ456-4Y, SMIC148-A, SMIDO40-4RY and SMIH095-1. Among these clones, SMIDO40-4RY and SMIH095-1 were less affected by temperature and sunlight conditions of the RS growing seasons. The clones SMIJ461-1 and SMIJ456-4Y cultivated during spring showed the highest dry matter and the lightest chip color. The physiological aging was studied in potato tubers of the Asterix, SNINIA793101-3 and SMIJ461-1 clones produced during spring and autumn 2004 and stored at 4, 8, 12 and 25°C for 180 days. The physiological aging of the three evaluated clones was affected by the growing conditions. Potato tubers cultivated in autumn and stored at 4 and 8°C remained dormant for 180 days. When tubers were produced during spring, only the clones SMINI793101-3 and SMIJ461-1 stored at 4°C remained dormant for 180 days. The growing conditions and genetic differences influence both processing quality and physiological aging of potato tubers. The storage at low temperature is efficient to delay physiological aging only during the dormant period of the potato tubers. / Os tubérculos de batata podem ser destinados para o consumo ou semente. Para o consumo, estes podem ser utilizados para mesa ou para processamento. Ambas as finalidades exigem tubérculos com qualidades distintas, as quais são essenciais para atender as necessidades do consumidor. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de processamento e o envelhecimento fisiológico de tubérculos produzidos durante a primavera e o outono na região central do Rio Grande do Sul. A qualidade de processamento foi avaliada em 15 clones produzidos durante a primavera de 2003 e o outono de 2004. O envelhecimento fisiológico foi estudado em tubérculos dos clones Asterix, SNINIA793101-3 e SMIJ461-1 produzidos durante o outono e primavera de 2004 e armazenados a 4, 8, 12 e 25°C por um período de 180 dias. Para qualidade de processamento, os clones SMIJ461-1, SMIJ319-1, SMIJ456-4Y, SMIC148-A, SMIDO40-4RY e SMIH095-1 foram os que apresentaram o melhor desempenho em coloração dos chips e teores de massa seca e açúcares redutores. Dentre esses clones, SMIDO40-4RY e SMIH095-1 foram os menos influenciados pelas épocas de cultivo de outono e primavera na região central do RS. Os clones SMIJ461-1 e SMIJ456-4Y apresentaram maior teor de massa seca e coloração mais clara dos chips no cultivo da primavera. De acordo com a avaliação do envelhecimento fisiológico, os três clones sofreram influência das condições de cultivo. O cultivo de outono combinado com o armazenamento a 4 e 8°C manteve os tubérculos dos diferentes clones em estádio de dormência por 180 dias. Quando os tubérculos foram produzidos na primavera, somente os clones SMINI793101-3 e SMIJ461-1 submetidos a temperatura de 4°C mantiveram a dormência durante os 180 dias de armazenamento. As condições de cultivo e as diferenças genéticas alteram tanto a qualidade de processamento quanto o envelhecimento fisiológico dos tubérculos. O armazenamento dos tubérculos a baixa temperatura é eficaz para retardar o envelhecimento fisiológico somente durante o período de dormência.

Thesis (MSc. (Pasture Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / South Africa is regarded as a semi-arid area; only 28% of the country receives more than 600 mm rainfall recorded annually. Sustainable utilization of cool season fodder grasses in summer rainfall areas to produce winter animal feed remains a major problem. Farmers are affected by a shortage of adequate, good quality herbage for livestock during winter and dry periods on commercial farms. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the production potential of six Festulolium hybrids, three Dactylis species, and five Lolium hybrids and three grass-legume mixtures in the summer rainfall area. A total of 17 cultivars were evaluated for their DM production under the treatment of different fertilizer levels on three planting dates (16 March 2011, 21 April 2011 and 4 April 2012). The study was carried out at Hygrotech Seed Company (Experimental site), Dewagensdrift in Moloto Village outside Pretoria in the Gauteng Province. Data was collected on a monthly basis from sub-plots of 1 m x 1 m (m2) in 51 plots of 1.5 m x 6 m (9 m2), with nine rows that were 10 cm apart arranged under RCBD with three replicates per cultivar. Harvested fresh samples were taken, weighed, dried at 60ºC until they reached a constant dry weight and weighed to determine DM content. A Fischer’s protected LSD at the 5 % level was performed to compare the treatment means. Over a period of three years of study, it shows that the low fertilizer level resulted in the lowest DM production, with no significant difference occurring between medium and high fertilizer levels. To achieve optimum DM production with minimum cost medium fertilizer is recommended. The cultivars responded differently to the three different planting dates. The time of planting had an effect on DM production in winter. It is recommended that Festulolium hybrids and Lolium hybrids be planted earlier (March) for better DM production in winter. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

The aim of the master´s thesis was to verify the applicability of elemental analysis and molecular spectrometry for examining the authenticity of ketchup. For verify of share refractometric dry matter introduced into ketchup from tomatoes was used analysis of potassium and lycopene content. Ketchups with different tomato contents were prepared and subsequently models were created, which were used to verify the proportion of refractometric dry matter introduced into tomato ketchup in ketchups from the store. The results of the work showed that the amount of lycopene is a problematic marker for verifying the authenticity of ketchup, because during the production of ketchup, lycopene is degraded.In contrast, the amount of potassium in ketchup has been shown to be a good marker for monitoring the authenticity of ketchup. The model based on the potassium content of ketchup worked reliably, the deviations obtained from the quantity of tomatoes used for the production of ketchup indicated on the packaging were less than 10%. Higher deviations were achieved in ketchups with a minimum permitted tomato content of up to 20%. The concentration of potassium in ketchup with a lower content of used tomatoes can be significantly affected by the addition of other ingredients to the ketchup (onion, garlic, carrot, apple, etc.). In addition to the ketchup production technology used, the ripeness of tomatoes also has a significant effect on the model for verifying the authenticity of ketchup.

The thesis deals with the control of the weight of soft cheeses during molding on a manual line. The theoretical part describes the classification of cheeses into groups, the basic characteristics of soft cheeses and their representatives. Furthemore, the whole technology of soft cheese production is processed and the effects on curd formation and factors influencing the weight of cheeses during molding are explained. The theoretical part ends with the basics of statistics for data processing. Basic measuring techniques (dry matter measurement, pH measurement, measurement of temperature and weight) were selected to determine the technological parameters (pH of whey, pH, dry matter and temperature of cheese grain, weight of cheese etc.) to describe the quality of grain in the experimental part of the thesis. The Design of Experiments method was used to find the optimal setting of the molding machine. Three partial experiments were designed and done. Results were verified in real production. The pH of whey was chosen to describe the grain quality. Two factors have been discovered that have a significant effect on the weigh of cheeses during molding, namely the position of the operator during molding and the amount of whey flowing into the forms with the cheese grain. The proposed molding modifications were successfully tested in production and no statistical difference was found between the weight of cheeses formed with the new setting of molding machine.

This work deals with the addition of carbon dioxide to milk for cheese production. The first aim was to elaborate a literary search focused on chemical composition of milk and its changes after addition of carbon dioxide and to describe production processes, with or without addition of carbon dioxide. The opening part was in particular focused on production of cheese with carbon dioxide and what all this gas causes during production. Carbon dioxide significantly decreases pH, thereby preventing from multiplication of undesirable microorganisms, it is also very important for shortening of production time, because it shortens the coagulation time. The main aim of experimental part was to determine the optimum addition of carbon dioxide to milk for production of Balkan cheese and using several analytical methods to compare cheese produced with and without addition of carbon dioxide. The sensory methods suitable for following of sensory differences of produced cheeses were also chosen and applied. By request of Dairy in Polná Ltd., the operation economy was calculated, which revealed that production with carbon dioxide is very useful and can reduce production costs of Balkan cheese, which would certainly be positive. The advantages and disadvantages of cheese production with carbon dioxide for consumers as well as for producer are evaluated as conclusion of this work.

Peepoo, self-sanitising, biodegradable toilet is characterized by low carbon to nitrogen (C-N) ratio and low dry matter (DM) content. Principal nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K)) are also not in a balance as required by most crops. It was expected that the mixing of used Peepoos with other organic materials might balance its chemical characteristics. In this thesis, availability and suitability of common organic materials produced in Kenya has been investigated for mixing with used Peepoo bags to obtain a balanced fertilizer product from the crop nutrition aspect. Seven organic residues were selected from the list of 13 on the basis of their availability near the processing site in Nairobi. The selected residues were then chemically analyzed for their individual plant nutrient content. The analysis results were used subsequently to simulate the chemical composition of a wide range of Peepoo-Residue mixtures. The evaluation of the theoretical mixtures based on DM content, C-N ratio and NPK ratio showed that the majority of investigated mixtures had DM content below 60 %. Majority of the mixtures showed C-N ratio between 10-1:1. All the mixtures deviated from the common nutrient uptake ratio of crops (1:0.5:1.4). Composite mixtures with more than 2 ingredients resulted in a balanced fertilizer product. The study concludes and recommends that the composite mixtures with more than two ingredients should be considered for practical processing of Peepoos into a commercial fertilizer product.

Study was conducted to evaluate in vitro digestibility of native warm-season grasses. Three grasses were used: big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium Nash), and indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans Nash). There were no differences in NDF, ADF, FAT and OM of the three grass species. However, DM, hemicellulose and CP were slightly different in the three grass species. Also, the frequency nested in cutting effects was determined. In vitro dry matter disappearance of big bluestem, little bluestem and indiangrass was evaluated to determine rate of disappearance. The 100 % indiangrass revealed the greatest rate of disappearance for IVDMD and 100 % little bluestem grass the least, respectively. However, that of other proportion mixtures of treatments and 100 % big bluestem grass were in between. There were no differences in in vitro neutral detergent fiber disappearances among treatments.

Materialförluster och självuppvärmning är ett vanligt problem vid lagring av biomassa i stor skala. Biomassan som lagras bryts med tiden ned av mikroorganismer och kemiska processer vilket resulterar i en förlust av torrsubstans, ofta kring 1-4% per månad. Självuppvärmningen kan leda till mycket höga temperaturer i högarna av biomassa och kan i vissa fall leda till självantändning av biomassan. I detta examensarbete utvecklas en matematisk modell bestående av 21 kopplade partiella differentialekvationer som beskriver värme- och massflöden med målet att beskriva självuppvärmning och massförlust i systemet. Med syftet att undersöka hur värme- och massflöden påverkas av högarnas geometri, storlek, kompaktering och eventuella temperaturgradienter, skapades först en modell ii COMSOL. Resultatet från dessa simuleringar används sedan för att bygga en modell i MATLAB där flödena kan undersökas tillsammans med den komplexa reaktionskinetiken. Resultatet från denna två-dimensionella modell jämförs sedan med data från pågående forskning av SLU. Resultaten visar att de simulerade värdena liknar de experimentella data från SLU men modellen har svårt att beskriva hur materialet torkar, vilket är en vanlig observation vid lagring av biomassa. Modellen visar att fukthalten i det lagrade materialet, tillsammans med andelen lättnedbrytbart material är de två viktigaste parametrar som avgör magnituden av substansförlusten och dessutom potentialen för självuppvärmning. / Loss of material and self-heating is a common problem during large-scale storage of biomass. The material is degraded by microorganisms and chemical processes which commonly result in dry matter losses of 1-4% per month. The self-heating often leads to high temperatures in the piles, which in some cases can lead to fires. In this thesis, a mathematical model consisting of 21 coupled partial differential equations describing heat and mass transfer is presented with the aim to describe the variations in heat and dry matter loss within the pile. For describing mass and heat transfer inside the biomass pile, a COMSOL model is setup, where effects of compaction, temperature gradients, shape and size of the pile are studied. Results from the COMSOL simulations are then transferred to MATLAB to simulate the complex kinetics coupled with the heat and mass transfer. The simulated results are then compared to experimental values obtained from an ongoing research project conducted by SLU. Results show that simulations do resemble experimental data but is limited in terms of describing drying process observed during storage.  Important factors highlighted are the effect of moisture content in the starting material, as well as the amount of easily degradable content in the biomass as these factors greatly determine the magnitude of both dry matter loss and heat development.