1. Sunflower and Oilseed Storage
Stored Products Research and Education Center
Oklahoma State University
Carol Jones
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

2. Storage Concerns
Sunflower
Canola
Soybean
Sesame
Safflower

3. Storage Concerns Moisture Content Sunflower: 8 – 10% mc
Hulls dry faster than kernels
Overnight in a sealed jar
Canola: 10 – 12% mc
Soybeans: 12%...seed at 10%
Sesame: less than 6%
Safflower: 5 – 8%

4. Storage Concerns Why so dry???????? Rancidity in Oklahoma heat
Oil content = microbial activity
Oil content = heat
Sweat period

5. Storage Concerns Sunflower: hulls have hair-like fibers
fibers can cause increase fire danger
test weight 28 – 32 lb/bu...cover when hauling
low speed augers to prevent damage

6. Storage Concerns Canola: seed is VERY small, hard to handle
sweat period is about 6 weeks
test weight 52 lbs/bu
oil content 40 – 50%
begin aeration immediately

7. Storage Concerns Soybeans:
using a dryer? Keep air above 40% rh and around 85 degrees F....
maybe ambient will work
run augers as full and slow as possible
test weight 60 lbs/bu
aerate once a month after initial cooling

8. Storage Concerns Sesame: Much like handling canola except...
Planted in spring, harvested in fall
Takes longer to dry in windrow than canola
Fewer inputs than canola
High fat (50% oil), 25% protein, 43 – 47 lb/bu
Small flat seed
Goes rancid quickly in heat at MC > 6%

9. Storage Concerns Safflower: 38 lb/bu test weight 34 – 36% oil content
Seeds are white
Harvested and handled much like canola
Dries very quickly in windrows

10. Special Characteristics
Bins with perforated floors work best
Ambient air/fan sufficient for drying/cooling
No aeration??? Move between bins

11. Prepare Bins for Storage
Floor perforations must be protected
Line bottom of bins
two layers of aluminum window screen
trampoline tarpaulin
Leave opening for grain unloading

12. Store Clean Canola Debris can add moisture and attract insects
Clean using
scalper aspiration
indent cylinder cleaning
sieve screening
Clean to less than 2.3% foreign material

13. Temperature and Moisture
Optimum temperature is 55°F
Double storage time for every 10° below 77° and 1% reduction in moisture below 9%
Spoilage after 5 months
No spoilage for at least 5 months
Optimum storage

14. Temperature
Above 77°F
Free fatty acids may form when stored longer than a year (1-1.5% limit) and causes rancidity
peroxide levels increase
oil darkens
Insect activity increases

15. Molds Mold forms above 60% equilibrium relative humidity (ERH)
ERH and temperature influence on seed moisture content (NDSU 2005)
ERH %
(40% seed oil content)
Temperature °F 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
4.9
4.5
4.1
3.8
3.6
3.4
3.2
6.5
5.9
5.5
5.1
4.8
4.3
8.1
7.4
6.8
6.3
6.0
5.6
5.3
9.6
8.8
7.6
7.1
6.4
11.3
10.3
9.0
8.4
8.0
13.1
12.1
11.2
10.5
10.0
9.3
8.9
15.4
14.2
13.2
12.3
11.6
11.0 90
18.6
17.2
16.0
15.0
13.5
12.8
Shaded area shows moisture content for optimum conditions

16. Aeration Bin must have aeration system Full floor perforation is best
Positive pressure is preferred
Grain surface should be leveled
Airflow rates for temperature management
0.08 – 0.15 cfm/bu
At 0.08 cfm, up to hours for a 20° drop
Airflow rates for natural air drying
0.4 – 2.0 cfm/bu – increase static air pressure
run fans continuously until desired moisture

17. Aeration Static pressure Sunflower
30 Ft. deep at 1.0 cfm/bu inches
for canola is 2-3 times that of wheat
30 ft. deep at 1.0 cfm/bu...75 inches!!!!
10 ft. deep at 1.0 cfm/bu...7 inches
Soybeans
30 ft. deep at 1.0 cfm/bu inches
Sesame
Similar to canola
Safflower
“Less than most other grains”

18. Temp control + MC control + insect control =
KEY THOUGHTS...
Monitor bins closely...weekly
Temp control + MC control + insect control =
SUCCESSFUL
OILSEED
STORAGE

19. Insect Pests Found in Bins
Very few insects were found
Those found included:
Rusty grain beetle
Red flour beetle
Lesser grain borer
Indianmeal moth
Booklice
Predatory mites were
also found

20. Oilseeds..the market
Another option
Rotation
Biodiesel
Crusher in OKC

21. Questions?
BIOSYSTEMS.OKSTATE.EDU/HOME/JCAROL