Development and Evaluation of a Low-Cost Probe-Type Instrument to Measure the Equilibrium Moisture Content of Grain

Abstract. Storage of grain in bags is common in Africa, Asia, and many other less developed countries making a bag probing method well-suited for moisture content (MC) measurement. A low-cost meter was developed under a USAID project to reduce post-harvest loss (PHL). The meter, referred to as the PHL meter, measures the MC of maize and other grains based on relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T) measurements obtained by a small digital sensor located in the tip of a tubular probe that can be inserted into bags of grain or other grain bulks. Measurements are used by equilibrium moisture content (EMC) equations programmed into the meter to predict MC. A handheld reader connected to the probe provides a user interface. Keywords: Equilibrium moisture content, Grain storage, Maize, Moisture content, Moisture meter, Post-harvest

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Use of moisture meter on the post-harvest loss reduction of rice

Progressive Agriculture ◽

10.3329/pa.v27i4.32141 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 511-516

Author(s):

MA Hossain ◽

MA Awal ◽

MR Ali ◽

MM Alam

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Market Price ◽

Moisture Determination ◽

Drying Time ◽

Moisture Measurement ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Adjustment Procedure ◽

Moisture Meter ◽

The Mean ◽

Post Harvest Loss

Moisture content is one of the most important factors determining grain quality during harvesting, storage, trading, processing, and transportation because high moisture will create problems for farmers, especially during postharvest activities such as mold growth, higher insect infestation, loss in seed germination, and low market price. A study was conducted to find out a precise moisture meter (MM) for moisture content (MC) determination during post-harvest activities of rice. John Deere moisture meter (JD MM), Moisture Probe and RiceterL MM were tested and calibrated to provide accurate result compared to that of Oven dry method. The average MC of same samples was found 11.4, 11.8, 12.3, and 13.1% by Oven dry method, Moisture Probe, RiceterL and John Deere MM, respectively. Standard deviations of the mean are 0.11, 0.17, 0.13 and 0.22, respectively by the corresponding moisture meters. Oven dry method i.e. drying whole kernels for 72 h at 105°C had the smallest standard deviation. This indicated long drying time and adequate drying temperature could ensure the precision of moisture determination. The reading of John Deere, Moisture Probe and RiceterL MM is higher by 1.7, 0.4 and 0.9%, respectively than that of oven dry method. Moisture measurement by these methods can lead to wide variations of conclusion. Moisture measurement by John Deere moisture meter is quicker and easier than Moisture Probe and RiceterL (MM). However, adjustment procedure with respect to calibration is needed before use.Progressive Agriculture 27 (4): 511-516, 2016

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Ethylene induces soil microbes to delay fruit ripening

10.7287/peerj.preprints.506v1 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Guenevere Perry ◽

Diane Williams

Keyword(s):

Fruit Ripening ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Soil Microbes ◽

Low Cost ◽

Ripening Process ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Climacteric Fruit ◽

Low Concentrations ◽

Transportation Container ◽

Post Harvest Loss

The consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables increases every year, and farmers need a low cost novel method to reduce post-harvest loss and preserve the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables. This study identifies a method to induce soil bacteria to biosynthesize a nitrile compound that potentially enters the plants tissue and negatively affects climacteric ripening and delays the ripening process at 20-30˚C. This study used soil rich with soil microbes, to delay the ripening of climacteric fruit. The soil was treated with nitrogen, a heavy metal, and ethylene gas. Ethylene induced the soil to delay the ripening of organic bananas and peaches. A prototype transportation container maintained fruit fresh for up to 72 h at 20-30˚C. The fruit retained color, firmness, texture, no bruising and minimal spotting. The soil also prevented fungal infection in all samples. GC-MS analysis suggests ethylene induced the soil microbes to release an acetonitrile compound into the gaseous environment. The nitrile is released in low concentrations, but mature plants (fruits) contain very low levels of indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) or indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The nitrile may obstruct or modify the mature plants (fruit) late stages development process, thus delay the climacteric ripening process and retarding the physiological and phenotypic effects of fruit ripening. We believe this study may have strong applications for post-harvest biotechnology.

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Measurement of leaf lamina moisture with a low-cost electrical humidity sensor: case study on a wheat water-mutant

BMC Plant Biology ◽

10.1186/s12870-019-1987-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Agata Rascio ◽

Michele Rinaldi ◽

Giuditta De Santis ◽

Nicola Pecchioni ◽

Gabriele Palazzo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Electrical Resistance ◽

Low Cost ◽

Bound Water ◽

Genotypic Differences ◽

Wild Type ◽

Leaf Lamina ◽

Mature Leaves ◽

Moisture Meter

Abstract Background The presence and persistence of water on the leaf can affect crop performance and thus might be a relevant trait to select for or against in breeding programmes. Low-cost, rapid and relatively simple methods are of significant importance for screening of large populations of plants for moisture analysis of detached leaves. Leaf moisture can be detected using an electric circuit, where the resistance changes are proportional to the moisture of the measured surface. In this study, we present a protocol to analyse genotypic differences through the electrical properties of living or stored tissues, performed using a commercial device. Expanded and non-expanded leaves were compared to determine the effects of leaf maturity on these data. Two wheat genotypes that differ in tissue affinity for bound water were used to define the influence of water status. Results The device indirectly estimates leaf moisture content using two electrodes applied to the leaf lamina of fresh and stored samples. Single moisture readings using this moisture meter had mean execution time of ~ 1.0 min. Exponential associations provided good fits for relationships between the moisture meter reading (MMR) and the electrical resistance applied to the electrodes. MMR normalised for the water/ dry matter ratio (MMRnorm) was lower for mature leaves of the water-mutant than those of wild-type, for the fully hydrated fresh leaves. MMR of fully mature leaves when partially dehydrated and measured after 10 min at 27 °C and 40% relative humidity was greater for the water-mutant than the wild-type. Conclusions This case study provides a low-cost tool to compare electrical-resistance estimates of leaf moisture content, together with a promising and rapid phenotyping protocol for genotypic screening of wheat under standard environmental conditions. Measurement of changes in MMR with time, of fresh and partially dehydrated leaves, or of MMR normalised to tissue water content allowed for differentiation between the genotypes. Furthermore, the differences observed between genotypes that here relate particular to tissue affinity for bound water suggest that not only the free-water fraction, but also other water fractions, can affect these electrically estimated leaf moisture measures.

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Study on Fruits Preservation in View of Surface Glossiness

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.338.521 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 338 ◽

pp. 521-524

Author(s):

Geng Jia Wang ◽

Xin Guang Lv ◽

Shu Ting Kuang ◽

Hui Long Chen ◽

Jing Peng

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Model ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Nondestructive Testing ◽

Moisture Content ◽

Linear Relation ◽

Low Cost ◽

Testing Method ◽

Moisture Meter ◽

R Value ◽

Nondestructive Testing Method

Abstract: Nowadays, there is no low-cost fruit nondestructive testing method in China. The study aims to put forward a method about acquiring the moisture content of fruits indirectly by general photographic equipments. Firstly, general photographic equipment is used to obtain pictures of fruits or vegetables. Secondly, with the help of Matlab and Photoshop, the surface glossiness of the fruit or vegetable is gained. Thirdly, moisture content of a fruit or vegetable is measured through infrared moisture meter. Meanwhile, a Mathematical Model in Regression Analysis between the R value and the moisture content is established. Lastly, the non-linear relation between surface glossiness and moisture content of the fruit is found. Therefore, a new method about measuring the moisture content of fruits or vegetables through general photographic equipments is sought out.

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Evaluating the Quality of Maize Grains Stored in a Modified Metallic Silo

LAUTECH Journal of Civil and Environmental Studies ◽

10.36108/laujoces/9102/20(0201) ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Issue 1) ◽

Author(s):

O.O Oniya ◽

A.B Fashina ◽

K.A Iyalabani ◽

S.B Amusa

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Insect Pests ◽

Storage Systems ◽

Storage Period ◽

Market Value ◽

Main Determinant ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Moisture Meter ◽

The Cost

Maize is known to be an important crop for food security in developing countries; and farmers have continued to experience post-harvest losses which lead to reduction in the quality or quantity of maize grains. The main causes of post-harvest losses are the storage insect, pests, improper drying and poor storage systems. Poor storage accounts for 5-10% loss and 5% loss is attributed to insect attacks. This research modified a one tonne metallic silo with the aim of studying the effects on moisture content and hectolitre weight of the maize grains. The moisture content was determined using moisture meter while the hectolitre weight was determined using extruded brass material. The study lasted for six months and analyses were carried out on the data collected using Duncan multiple range tests at 95% level of confidence. The moisture content was observed to reduce from 13.5% to 11.4% w.b while hectoliter weight which is the main determinant of the market value of the grain was observed to increase from 276 kg/ml to 288 kg/ml, this implies that there was increase in the cost value of the grain after six month of storage. The results showed that variations in moisture content along storage period were significant at (p ≤ 0.05).

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Effects of Post-Harvest Conditions on Sorption Isotherms of Soybeans

Transactions of the ASABE ◽

10.13031/trans.14420 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 1027-1037

Author(s):

Lina M Diaz-Contreras ◽

Rani Puthukulangara Ramachandran ◽

Stefan Cenkowski ◽

Jitendra Paliwal

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Moisture Content ◽

Equilibrium Moisture Content ◽

Sorption Isotherms ◽

Freezing And Thawing ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Drying And Wetting Cycles ◽

Equilibrium Relative Humidity ◽

Freezing And Thawing Cycles ◽

Storage Temperatures

Abstract. This study focuses on the modeling of sorption characteristics of three varieties of soybeans (Akras R2, Lono R2, and Podaga R2). Three pretreatments related to post-harvest conditions were tested on the soybean varieties: (1) freshly harvested soybeans, (2) soybeans subjected to three drying and wetting cycles, and (3) soybeans subjected to three freezing and thawing cycles. The adsorption and desorption experiments were conducted at 5°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C using a dynamic equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) apparatus. Equilibrium moisture content (EMC) and the corresponding ERH were measured. The parameters calculated for the modified Halsey equation are applicable for storage temperatures above 10°C in the relative humidity (RH) ranges of 10% to 80% for desorption and 30% to 80% for adsorption. No significant differences were found in sorption isotherms among the soybean varieties. However, the soybean varieties responded differently to the different pretreatments (i.e., drying/wetting and freezing/thawing cycles). The adsorption isotherms of Akras and Lono soybeans showed significant differences at 10°C to 30°C when subjected to drying and wetting cycles, while Akras and Podaga soybeans showed significant differences in the same temperature range when subjected to freezing and thawing cycles. The effect of drying and wetting cycles on the desorption isotherms was found only for Akras soybeans at 10°C and 15°C below 63% and 71% RH, respectively, and for Lono soybeans at 25°C and 30°C above 69% RH for both temperatures. In general, the effect of both pretreatments on the sorption isotherms of soybeans was a reduction in EMC of up to 20%, when compared to fresh samples at selected storage temperatures. The findings of this study serve as a primary tool for developing a lookup table for safe storage guidelines for soybeans. Keywords: Equilibrium moisture content, Equilibrium relative humidity, Halsey equation, Oswin equation, Soybeans.

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Engineered Jute Bags for Storing Food Grains within Harrington’s Safe Zone of Seed Moisture Content

10.26434/chemrxiv.13664576 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kennedy Odokonyero ◽

Himanshu Mishra ◽

Adair Gallo Junior

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Low Cost ◽

Seed Storage ◽

Water Repellent ◽

Seed Moisture Content ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Food Grains ◽

Seed Moisture ◽

Jute Fabrics ◽

Jute Bags

<p>Harrington’s thumb rule states that for every 1% increase in seed moisture content (SMC), seed lifetime decreases by 50%. Thus, to avoid post-harvest grain losses, stored seeds must be insulated from water. Although the jute bags typically used to store grains afford an ecofriendly, durable, and low-cost storage solution, their hydrophilic nature makes them vulnerable to wetting from airborne humidity and precipitation events. To address this issue, we treated jute fabrics with alkali and wax to render them water-repellent. A 2-month seed storage experiment revealed that wax-coated jute bags (WCJBs) outperformed control jute bags (CJBs) at safeguarding wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>) grains exposed to 55%–98% relative humidity. Specifically, grains stored in WCJBs exhibited 15%–50% less SMC than grains stored in CJBs, which led to a 21%–66% enhancement in the germination efficacy of WCJB-stored seeds. This engineering solution could enhance the potential of jute bags to reduce post-harvest losses.</p>

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Comparing Moisture Meter Readings with Measured Equilibrium Moisture Content of Gypsum Board

Journal of Testing and Evaluation ◽

10.1520/jte101193 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 101193

Author(s):

M. R. Mitchell ◽

R. E. Link ◽

Dale J. Greenwell ◽

Marc Y. Menetrez

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Equilibrium Moisture Content ◽

Gypsum Board ◽

Moisture Meter

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Development of a low-cost ice crusher for raw fish storage

Journal of Science Technology and Environment Informatics ◽

10.18801/jstei.110121.73 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (01) ◽

pp. 727-735

Author(s):

M. A. Rabbani ◽

◽

K. Tamanna ◽

A. K. Ahmed ◽

S. M. Rifat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Operating Cost ◽

Throughput Capacity ◽

Machine Construction ◽

Local Market ◽

Heavy Load ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Machine Performance ◽

The Cost ◽

Post Harvest Loss

The fisheries sector in Bangladesh undergoes various post-harvest problems: the high post-harvest loss of fish. As fish is highly perishable, it needs proper handling, processing, and distribution in time. Ice is the major and primary material that is used in Bangladesh for fish preservation. Different methods are used for crushing ice. In the traditional method, ice is crushed with a heavy load by hand. This method is very laborious and most often does not provide a uniform shape. So, an attempt was taken to develop a low-cost ice crusher machine in the Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Based on the design and drawing, the machine was manufactured. Necessary materials to construct the machine were collected from the local market. The machine throughput capacity of the developed ice crusher was found 854.85 kg/hr. with an overall loss of 10.5%. Based on the test parameters, the machine performance was found satisfactory. The machine construction cost was estimated as Tk 11048. The operating cost for ice crushing was calculated, and it was found to be Tk 0.07/kg. This machine was simple at construction and the cost is also low, which indicates that the machine is suitable input for ice crushing to the marginal user. Where electricity is not available and large commercial heavy ice crushers are not available, this machine can be very suitable.

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