Vita. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This thesis is concerned with an investigation into current on-farm grain storage practice and with ascertaining what educational interventions, if any, are appropriate for future and more detailed consideration. The Australian grain growing, handling, and marketing industry has changed in recent times. A few years ago (1989), the grain growers only essential contact with grain marketing was through the bulk handling authorities and the Australian Wheat Board. Advice was freely available from state departments of agriculture, and the only requirement to store grain on-farm was that necessary for the grower's own needs. Now (1994), there is a possible advantage that grain stored on-farm may be used for a wide range of selling options, amongst other reasons, and market requirements are much more complex and stringent. There is a substantial body of research on grain storage techniques. At the same time there is a significant gap between researched knowledge and the use of this knowledge for on-farm storage. A major purpose of this study is to identify an improved approach to extension and farmer education that may help to reduce this gap. This thesis contains a review of the general literature on extension followed by an overview of extension in the developed world to establish the international context for Australia. Then the historical context of extension is examined briefly to understand the current situation in each state. Some educational models are reviewed to identify relationships between stakeholders and the opportunities available for and constraints to development of educational strategies. Information channels are reviewed to comprehend extension interaction and grain storage technologies are reviewed to ensure comprehension of techniques. On the basis of the literature review a field study was designed to investigate current on-farm storage practice, current extension sources for storage information and preferences for future educational interventions. This was done by a survey using a stratified random sample of grain growers and cluster selection of individuals for personal interviews. This information was complemented by informal discussion with farmers at field days. The results of the study confirmed the gap between research knowledge and on-farm implementation of this knowledge. They also demonstrated that grain growers wanted more information and gave some indicators of how this might be achieved. Major findings of the research included the need for extension coalitions and the desirability for active involvement of the grain grower. Major conclusions, for on-farm storage and extension, are drawn to form a basis for development of future extension interventions. These are aimed at ensuring grain growers have available the information needed for good storage practice. This includes an essential understanding the grain growers' needs and perceptions, early, in any planning process. It also includes the necessity for coordination of extension/education activities at local, regional and national levels. The research has some major implications for an improved approach to extension and on-farm storage. These include the establishment of a farmers-as-researcher program to implement grain storage innovations and the recognition that implemented change will need long term maintenance; often more resource intensive than the original intervention.

The work presented here explores the effect of storage on chemical and other characteristics of dry, free of added chemicals and pest-free barley and canola grain. This was achieved by measuring the changes in a number of variables of grain stored at different temperatures under laboratory conditions and in commercial storage. The following measurements were carried out: Viability, moisture contents (mc), oil contents (oc), whole grain colour, spectrophotometry of grain extracts, hydroxy methyl furaldehyde (HMF), changes in storage atmospheres, organic sulphide levels, tocol concentrations (vitamin E), Iodine Value (IV), Thiocyanogen Value (TV), Peroxide Value (PV), p-Anisidine Value (p-AV) and Acid Value (AV). The mc of canola and barley were within the range considered safe for storage. Oil content of canola did not change significantly with storage. Viability of canola stored at 4 and 25 °C did not change noticeably, but higher storage temperatures resulted in seed death. Barley maintained high viabilities at low temperatures, but was more susceptible to high temperatures than canola. Colour changes of whole barley grain in storage were pronounced and temperature dependent. Colorimetry of whole barley grain showed potential as a tool for monitoring quality changes in storage. Absorption spectra of grain extracts reflected chemical and physiological changes in storage. HMF, an indicator of Maillard browning, accumulated in short to medium term storage at 45°C and in long term storage at 25 and 35°C. Measurement of HMF was considered useful for monitoring quality changes of stored cereal grain. In a study of storage atmospheres, changes in the concentrations of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen, carbon disulphide and carbonyl sulphide were shown to be useful indicators of quality loss of grain in storage. Gas concentrations usually depended on storage temperature and time and reflected the storage history of the commodity. They indicated loss of carbohydrates and lipids by respiration, oxidative damage and deterioration of sulphur containing amino acids and other compounds. Oil quality indicators were consistent with oxidative damage to canola lipids in storage. IV, TV, and p-AV of canola oil did not correlate with quality of commercial samples. However, a relationship between increases in PV and high storage temperatures in canola was shown and AV increased in storage dependent on storage temperature and time. In barley and canola, the concentration of anti-oxidant tocol species (vitamin E) decreased at 35 and 45°C storage dependent on storage time. The overall tocol content as well as vitamin E activity decreased with storage decreasing the nutritional value of the commodities and indicating oxidative damage to lipids. It was concluded that the storage of dry, pest-free whole barley and canola grain at moderate temperatures (25-45°C) resulted in chemical and other changes. The consequence of these changes was a measurable reduction in the freshness of grain relevant to the nutritional, food technological and commercial quality of grain.

No description available.

The use of near ambient air drying for the preservation of wheat stored in granaries is common in Western Canada. Guidelines have been developed to assist farmers in selecting appropriate drying methods. During this process the top layer of wheat can remain at moisture contents (m.c.) greater than the safe storage limit, 14.5% wet bulb (wb), for up to 12 weeks. This study tested the effects of this drying procedure on the development of ochratoxin A (OTA) using 1 m3 bulks of durum wheat at 18% m.c. (wb) contained within steel bins inside a Weather Simulation Lab. In a second study using 20 L volumes of wheat at a m.c. of 20% (wb) within an environmental growth chamber potential development of OTA was also evaluated. The wheat was exposed to two treatments, airflow and no airflow, for a period of 12 weeks under conditions of high relative humidity (greater than 80%) and typical Manitoba fall temperatures. The storage quality parameters of germination, fat acidity value, and presence of OTA were measured weekly. It was found that high moisture wheat stored under all treatment conditions showed a rapid decrease in germination and increase in fat acidity value over time, with no significant difference between the treatments. Under the tested conditions the development of ochratoxin A was not detected in significant quantities in the 1 m3 bulks of grain but was detected in the smaller 20 L bulks.

The use of near ambient air drying for the preservation of wheat stored in granaries is common in Western Canada. Guidelines have been developed to assist farmers in selecting appropriate drying methods. During this process the top layer of wheat can remain at moisture contents (m.c.) greater than the safe storage limit, 14.5% wet bulb (wb), for up to 12 weeks. This study tested the effects of this drying procedure on the development of ochratoxin A (OTA) using 1 m3 bulks of durum wheat at 18% m.c. (wb) contained within steel bins inside a Weather Simulation Lab. In a second study using 20 L volumes of wheat at a m.c. of 20% (wb) within an environmental growth chamber potential development of OTA was also evaluated. The wheat was exposed to two treatments, airflow and no airflow, for a period of 12 weeks under conditions of high relative humidity (greater than 80%) and typical Manitoba fall temperatures. The storage quality parameters of germination, fat acidity value, and presence of OTA were measured weekly. It was found that high moisture wheat stored under all treatment conditions showed a rapid decrease in germination and increase in fat acidity value over time, with no significant difference between the treatments. Under the tested conditions the development of ochratoxin A was not detected in significant quantities in the 1 m3 bulks of grain but was detected in the smaller 20 L bulks.

No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1980 W44 / Master of Science

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Daniel M. O'Brien / On-farm grain storage plays a key role in the production and distribution of corn in the United States. It can have economic impacts on a farm’s profitability and production efficiency over time. With the free market system of the United States, market fundamentals are a key component of decisions made on the farm regarding construction of grain storage facilities and how they are used in marketing decisions throughout a given production and marketing year. This analysis researches how grain storage decisions in the Northern Mississippi area are effected by corn basis differentials between the Memphis, TN river market and the Northern Alabama corn market. Corn basis differentials are considered along with annual changes in corn futures market carry in response to variations in grain market fundamentals. The profitability of constructing, maintaining, and operating on-farm grain storage is analyzed based on the local history of the local corn market basis patterns and the carry priced into the corn futures market. Through this analysis it was found that the biggest obstacle affecting the profitability of on-farm grain storage was the upfront cost of the facility. As costs of the facility were incurred, grain had to be stored for longer periods of time in order to be profitable based on history of improved basis and market carry over time. On-farm storage became profitable over a shorter storage period once the upfront costs of grain storage and handling facilities were paid based on the operating costs and market conditions within the analysis. On-farm storage can be a useful tool for a farm to increase profitability over time, beyond the scope of this analysis. This analysis proves that in the Northern Mississippi area over time, grain storage can be profitable based on improved cash basis and futures market carry. However, due to ever-changing market conditions, on-farm grain storage does not replace the need for the development of grain marketing plans in order to increase the likelihood of profitability.