1. Bill Casady Missouri Commercial Agriculture Crop Production Engineer Agricultural Engineering Extension Harvesting, Drying, Handling, and Storing Identity Preserved Grains and Oilseeds

2. Seed Storage and Risk Characteristics of Quality Seed Factors that Affect Seed Quality How to Maximize & Maintain Quality

3. Grain Quality and Storage Characteristics of Grains and Oil Seeds High quality seed stores well High quality seed has high value Seed that stores well has less risk

4. Grain Quality and the paradox of value and risk High quality seed stores well High quality seed has high value Seed that stores well has less risk High Quality Grain has less risk!

5. Specialty Crops and Value and Risk Specialty crops can have higher value Specialty crops are held to a high standard Higher standards increase risk

6. Specialty Crops and Value and Risk Specialty crops can have higher value Specialty crops are held to a high standard Higher standards increase risk Specialty crops increase risk!

7. Specialty Crops and Value and Risk Specialty crops can have higher value Specialty crops are held to a high standard Higher standards increase risk Specialty crops must have very high quality!

8. Quality Grain l Whole / undamaged seeds l Little or no foreign material l Little or no disease or insect activity A healthy and safe grain mass is dry, cool, and uniform.

9. Quality Grain A healthy and safe grain mass is dry, cool, and uniform.

10. Factors Affecting Grain Quality l Crop Health l Harvest Preparation and Timeliness l Harvest Moisture Contents l Combine Settings l Seed Handling l Prompt Drying l Good Drying Practices l Regular and Frequent Inspection.

11. Crop Health l Development of high quality seed depends on – adequate soil moisture – proper fertility – moderate temperatures – disease and insect-free fields.

12. l Clean and sanitize all seed handling facilities – bins – augers – pits – bin site Pre-Harvest Tips for Specialty Grains

13. l Perform combine maintenance – Replace worn augers – Eliminate sharp edges l Inspect grain handling equipment – Replace worn augers – Change pulleys – slow augers – Adjust grain spreaders

14. Harvest Decisions

15. Harvesting Tips for Specialty Grains l Minimize Breakage and Fines –Use minimum rotor speeds –Adjust rotor speed and clearance as conditions change –Adjust fan to get a clean sample

16. Harvesting Tips for Specialty Soybeans l Harvest only weed-free areas –Volunteer corn –Weeds can cause green stains –Nightshade causes purple stains

17. Harvesting Tips for Specialty Soybeans l Harvest at optimum moisture content at midday –Early morning – too wet –Late afternoon – overdry –Evening – poor separation

18. Harvesting Tips for Specialty Soybeans l Use a well-maintained flexible floating small grain platform –poorly adjusted or poorly functioning platforms l Losses as high as 10-15% l Increase soil intake – dirty sample l Cause excessive shattering

19. Harvesting Tips for Specialty Soybeans l A loss of 10% can be significant – Assume 40 bu soybeans – Assume market price is $6.00 4 40 x 10% x $6.00 = $24/ac

20. 4 Inspect knife sections - replace as necessary 4 Adjust reel speed - 25% faster than ground speed 4 Adjust reel position - axis about 6” - 12 inches ahead of cutterbar Harvesting Tips for Specialty Soybeans

21. 4 Keep fields level - drilled soybean is easier to harvest - avoid wet fields 4 Don’t hurry - uneven or jagged stubble? …. reduce speed 4 Set the combine by the book - make adjustments throughout the day ! Harvesting Tips for Specialty Soybeans

22. Drying Tips for Specialty Grains l Dry in-field as long as possible l Use low temperature drying to maximize quality –< 110 F High oil, High oleic, –< 125 F High amylose –< 140 F High starch, Waxy, Non-GMO

23. Drying Tips for Specialty Soybeans l Field Dry to 13 – 14% l Prevent Moisture Migration – Aerate immediately to cool – Aerate seasonally as needed to 35 – 40 F for winter storage –Warm slightly in the spring

24. Management Tips for Specialty Grains l Preserve identity –Develop an identity preservation plan –Update handling equipment for easy and complete cleanout –Schedule harvest of identity preserved crops first

25. Management Tips for Specialty Grains l Minimize impact and mechanical damage during handling – Use large low-speed augers – Keep augers at full capacity – Replace worn augers

26. Management Tips for Specialty Grains l Maximize Airflow Potential –Clean grain to reduce fines –Level grain to uniform depth

27. Management Tips for Specialty Grains l Aerate Grain Periodically –Approximately monthly –Cool grain by 10 – 15 degrees F during each aeration cycle

28. Soybean Moisture Characteristics l Soybean contains about 18% oil –water can only be held in the other 82% of mass –relatively hygroscopic - relatively more susceptible to over- drying and re-wetting

29. Soybean Moisture Characteristics l Soybean moisture changes rapidly in the field after maturity –60% - 50% in about 16 days –50% - 10% in about 10 days –Daily ranges …… 16% - 9%

30. Soybean Equilibrium Moisture Content Moisture Content Relative Humidity

31. Drying Practices l Dry grain and oilseeds immediately –Storage life is reduced quickly until grain is dried –Remaining storage life is a function of the percent of storage life already used.

32. Allowable Storage Time for Corn (days)

34. Allowable Storage Time for Soybean (days)

35. Dry Grain Quickly l An Example –Grain is harvested at 24% moisture content and the initial temperature of the grain is 80 F.

36. Allowable Storage Time for Corn (days)

37. Dry Grain Quickly l An Example –Grain is harvested at 24% moisture content and the initial temperature of the grain is 80 F. –Storage life of the grain is 4 days before the grain is spoiled (Dry matter loss = 1%)

38. Dry Grain Quickly l An Example –Grain is harvested at 24% moisture content and the initial temperature of the grain is 80 F. –Storage life of the grain is 4 days before the grain is spoiled (Dry matter loss = 1%) –The grain or any part of the grain that remains at these initial conditions for 2 days has used up 50 % of it’s storage life. (3 days = 75%, etc.)

39. Dry Grain Quickly l An Example –50 % of storage life remaining –If the grain is dried to 16% and cooled to 55 F, the total expected storage life is 215 days.

40. Allowable Storage Time for Corn (days)

41. Dry Grain Quickly l An Example –50 % of storage life remaining –If the grain is dried to 16% and cooled to 55 F, the total expected storage life is 215 days. –50% of 215 days is about 107 days

42. Drying Practices l Dry grain immediately l Maximize airflow l Dry shallow depths of grain l Use heat carefully l Do not over-dry grain l Aerate stored grain seasonally to minimize moisture migration.

43. Inspect Grain Often l Inspect grain weekly –musty odors –warming –crusted grain at the surface l Aerate immediately if a problem is detected l Continue aeration until the problem is resolved.

44. Respect the Hazards of Spoiled Grain l Dust and Mold Spores –damages delicate lung tissues –favors growth of tuberculosis and bronchitis –dust can ignite and explode l Ventilate the work area l Wear a dust mask l Use the services of a professional fumigator

45. Respect the Hazards of Spoiled Grain l Watch for crusted grain –know the history of the bin –bridged grain is like a trap –vertical masses of caked grain crush victims l Break up grain with a long wooden pole l Work from the top of the bin l Avoid overhead power lines.

46. Respect the Hazards of Spoiled Grain

49. Respect for Flowing Grain l An 8-inch auger can move 52 cubic feet/min l An average person is only 7 cubic feet l You’re covered in 8 seconds

50. Respect the Hazards of Flowing Grain

51. Grain Management Summary l Store only high quality grain l Clean and sanitize grain handling equipment l Harvest in a timely manner !< 28% MC l Optimize combine settings l Clean the grain - distribute evenly l Start drying quickly with lots of air l Use heat carefully and dry in shallow layers l Inspect and aerate as needed.

52. Resources l AE – 4728 :Specialty Corn and Soybean Fact Sheets :Department of Ag and consumer economics l MU publications G1290, G1300, G1305, G1310, Safety G1969, Ext Manual 165 l MWPS – 13 l MWPS – 29