Water content in Annona squamosa seeds under different temperature and relative humidity conditions of storage environment

Abstract

The conditions of the storage environment, mainly related to temperature and relative humidity, influence the interaction of seeds with the environment and, consequently, the water content of the product. The study aimed to analyze the influence of ambient temperature and relative humidity on the water content of Annona squamosa seeds. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with a 5x7 factorial scheme, with five temperatures (15, 20 and 25, 35, 40ºC) and seven conditions of relative humidity with nine replications. The equilibrium moisture content of the seeds was analyzed by mass difference. Data were subjected to analysis of variance by the F test and regression analysis. For significant interaction between the sources of variation, multivariate analysis was performed. Through regression analysis, linear models were obtained for the analyzed temperatures. Through multivariate analysis, a mathematical model was obtained to predict the equilibrium humidity of the pinecone considering temperature and relative humidity. The moisture in A. squamosa seeds is influenced by the temperature and relative humidity of the environment. Obtaining a mathematical model by multivariate analysis allows an adequate prediction of equilibrium moisture.