Determination of the moisture content of white and yellow corn from ohaji in imo state of nigeria using the dry-weight technique

Abstract

The water content determination of two maize species (Yellow corn- and White corn- ) located at Ohaji in Imo State of Nigeria were considered in this study. This was motivated by the regular reported cases of the seed post-harvest spoilages, especially in the local communities. And the moisture content of a particular seed could vary according to the various location of crop, presumably due to the soil texture. The moisture content of a given crop seed can influence its storage value, as well as its choice of selection during manufacturing processes. It was, thus, necessary to determine the moisture content of the two maize species (white and yellow corn) from Ohaji in Imo State of Nigeria, in order to identify their dispositions, especially during storage. Modified High Constant Temperature Oven method, as prescribed by the International Seed Testing Association (which involves preliminary pre-drying and grinding), was employed, at a temperature of 102oC. This involved the use of dry-weight technique, which is expressed as a percentage of the dry weight of the seeds. The procedure for each sampling was replicated accordingly, and the mean value identified as the actual result. The moisture content for Sample A (white corn) was found to be 31.7%, while that of Sample B (yellow corn) was found to be 21.5%, which shows that the yellow corn would always have longer storage value than the white corn. As any change in the seed moisture content has a way of affecting its storage life, it is advisable not to store the white corn longer than it could be applied in the yellow corn for a better storage value.Keywords: Determination, Moisture Content, White Corn, Yellow Corn, Dry-weight Basis