Handling Of Grain Research Articles

ТРАНСПОРТНЕ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ЗЕРНОВОГО ЕКСПОРТУ

The article provides an overview of the current state of the domestic marine transport infrastructure as such, which provides transport services for cargo flows of export grain products. The provided analysis covers both the pre-war period and the wartime. The main mode of transport, which implements foreign trade deliveries of grain products, is maritime, which currently works with adjacent modes of transport that provide transportation of grain to sea ports – rail and road, their participation in grain transportation is analyzed. The volumes and dynamics of handling of export grain by sea ports of Ukraine are presented. The main "grain" ports of Ukraine were identified, which in pre-war times loaded up to 90 % of the total sea grain export to sea vessels. The most powerful grain terminals are located in Mykolaiv, Chornomorsk, Pivdenny and Odesa ports, which contributes to the acquisition and maintenance of leading positions by these ports in the market of handling of grain export. Changes in the transportation of grain export caused by the war, which were the result of the blockade of Ukrainian seaports, were emphasized. Partial restoration of the work of some ports became possible in June 2022 with the signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Currently, from the very beginning of the fullscale invasion, the ports of Ukraine located on the Danube, remained unblocked – the main cargo flows of export grain fell to the port of Reni, Ust-Dunaisk and Izmail during the period when the ports of Big Odesa were not working, and their cargo turnover tripled. Today, grain is exported through the ports of Big Odesa (outside the Black Sea Grain Initiative); carriages through the Danube ports remains an alternative route – it is interesting and attractive for grain exporters who invest in technical and technological development and improvement of these ports. Publicly available statistics allow you to operate with indicators for the period until 2022; official statistical data were not made public during the war years.

Effect of Moisture Content on Frictional Properties of Some Selected Grains in Indonesia

The frictional property of grains is one of the most important engineering parameters in developing solid bulk handling of grains. It is necessary for designing agricultural facilities and production process activities. These properties are expressed as internal friction angle (φ) and wall friction angle (θ), which are known to be affected by the moisture content of the grains. This research investigates the effect of moisture content on the values of φ and θ of some selected grains. In the research, some indigenous Indonesian grain types, including rough rice, white rice, corn, soybean, and coffee, each in three varieties and three level of moisture contents, were used as the research samples. Those angles were measured using a self-constructed direct shear cell apparatus. Three different normal loads for each grain type were used with three replications. It is concluded that φ and θ of the tested grains increase with moisture contents with different trends of increments. The relationship of those angles with moisture contents can be expressed as linear regression equations. The slope of the regression lines for both φ and θ is significantly affected by grain type (p<0.05). For φ, coffee (Excelsa) is the most susceptible to the change in moisture content, while dent corn (Hibrida) is the least affected one. For θ, soybean (Galunggung) is the most susceptible to the change in moisture content, while rough rice (Mapan 5) is the least affected one.

Study of a pneumatic separator for grain cleaning

This article deals with experimental studies of a pneumatic separator with a passive deck. Post-harvest handling of grain is one of the important operations in grain production. Quality cleaning and drying contribute to grain storage without significant losses. The grain litter after the harvest of the combine harvester, which takes place in the shortest possible time, is the most clogged. This causes a problem in terms of cleaning. An important problem is also the physical and obsolescence of the cleaning machines, even though the annual workload is relatively small. This has a significant impact on productivity. Of all those in the agricultural industry, the most commonly used separation of grain from impurities is by aerodynamic properties and separation by size on the sieve. The design of an experimental pneumatic separator with a passive deck was developed. Experimental studies of the pneumatic separator with a passive deck were carried out, based on which plots of the dependences of the completeness of the separation were plotted on the angle of inclination of the flap and the feed of the grain material. The optimal parameters and modes of the grain cleaning machine were determined: the lowest losses of the main crop and the cleaning efficiency are achieved at the flap inclination angle α=0˚.

Cost Assessment of Five Different Maize Grain Handling Techniques to Reduce Postharvest Losses from Insect Contamination.

Farmers in developing nations encounter high postharvest losses mainly attributable to the lack of modern techniques for threshing, cleaning, grading, and grain storage. Mechanized handling of grain in developing countries is rare, although the technology is effective against insects and pest infestations. The objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of five grain handling techniques that have the ability to reduce postharvest losses from insect infestation. The five methods were metal silo plus all accessories (m. silo + acc.), metal silo only (m. silo), woven polypropylene plus phosphine (w. PP. + Phos.), woven polypropylene only (w. PP.), and Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags only (PICS). The functional unit used was handling 1 kg of maize grain. The cost analysis of each technique was calculated based on equations using a spreadsheet. The annual capital and operational costs of handling using m. silo + acc. or m. silo were very high, unlike the PICS, w. PP. + Phos., or w. PP. The annual capital and operational costs decreased as production scale increased. Food security (due to reduced insects and pest infestations) and financial prospects of farmers can improve when the grain is mechanically handled with m. silo + acc. or m. silo.

Management lessons learned in supply chain development: the experience of PICS bags in West and Central Africa

In order to facilitate the transformation of African agriculture, Africa’s smallholders will require more and better access to input markets that deliver context-specific and well adapted innovations. This article summarizes the management lessons learned in developing supply chains for Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags in West and Central Africa. PICS bags are hermetic grain storage bags that are leading a revolution in the post-harvest handling of grain on smallholder farmers in Africa. The bags have been very popular with farmers, but the major challenge has been developing supply chains to make those bags available for purchase at the village level. This article: (1) describes the PICS supply chain in West and Central Africa; (2) identifies constraints (i.e. financial, structural, social) that impede the development of the PICS supply chain; and (3) analyzes strategies used by businesses to expand distribution channels and increase bag sales.

Worker hazards associated with the use of grain vacuum systems.

Over the past two decades, there has been more widespread use of pneumatic handling of grain at commercial grain storage facilities and on farms as these operations have increased grain storage capacity and handle larger volumes of grain and feed In some cases, manufacturers have suggested that the use of these systems is a safer alternative to removing residual grain manually in conjunction with the use of sweep augers. The use of grain vacuum systems has also been increasingly documented as a strategy in responding to grain storage fires and human entrapment and engulfment in flowing grain. With greater utilization of these machines have come reports of entrapments and engulfments. This article summarizes 27 such documented incidents, including 21 fatalities, that resulted from the use of portable grain vacuum systems. It includes specific recommendations for engineering, educational, and regulatory strategies to reduce the risks associated with the use of these systems.

Proper Selection of corn Hybrids (Zea mays L.) - Efficacy Method in the Provision Stable Yields.

The results of studies on the major agronomic traits of the best com hybrids of different maturity groups on their suitability to grow in south-western part of the forest- steppe. Use in production practice the proper Selection of hybrids of maize provides an opportunity not only to predict the volume of its production, but also significantly save energy at the post-harvest handling of grains of this crop.

Trichome numbers in naked-oat cultivars

SUMMARYThe oat kernel, caryopsis or groat, is generally covered with fine silky hairs termed trichomes. The trichomes of naked oat are partly lost during threshing and handling of grains when the lemma and palea are removed and the surface of the grain is exposed. Trichomes can cause itchiness and more serious reactions in those handling the grains. Trichomes also accumulate and form fine dust and can block up machinery. Trichomes are clearly problematic and growers of naked oat are eager to have oat cultivars with reduced numbers of trichomes. Experiments compared the differences in trichome numbers of naked-oat cultivars and threshing settings. The cultivars differed considerably in pubescence. Cultivars Lisbeth and NK 00117 had most trichomes and cv. Bullion the fewest. Completely bare or polished grains were not observed. Pubescence was not associated with grain weight or test weight. However, grains from the lowermost spikelets of the panicle had fewer trichomes than those from the uppermost spikelets. For cv. Bullion, some threshing settings, including increased cylinder speed, slightly increased grain polishing such that grains had some areas completely free of trichomes. Reduction of the concave clearance in the combine harvester had a similar effect. However, threshing settings did not affect the trichomes of cv. Lisbeth. Adjusting threshing machinery settings was generally not an efficient means of solving the problems associated with naked-oat trichomes, but cultivar differences existed and further efforts in breeding to reduce trichome numbers are required.

Tissue distribution and proinflammatory cytokine induction by the trichothecene deoxynivalenol in the mouse: Comparison of nasal vs. oral exposure

Oral exposure to the trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), a common cereal grain contaminant, adversely affects growth and immune function in experimental animals. Besides foodborne exposure, the potential exists for DON to become airborne during the harvest and handling of grains and therefore pose a risk to agricultural workers. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of oral and intranasal exposure to DON (5 mg/kg bw) on tissue distribution and proinflammatory cytokine induction in the adult female mouse. Competitive direct ELISA revealed that, regardless of exposure route, DON concentrations in plasma, spleen, liver, lung and kidney were maximal within 15–30 min and declined by 75–90% after 120 min. However, plasma and tissue DON concentrations were 1.5–3 times higher following intranasal exposure as compared to oral exposure. The functional significance of elevated DON tissue concentrations was assessed by measuring IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA responses in spleen, liver and lung. Oral exposure to DON-induced robust proinflammatory cytokine gene expression after 60 and 120 min. In contrast, inductions of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNAs in nasally exposed mice were 2–10, 2–5 and 2–4 times greater, respectively, than those in the tissues of orally exposed mice. Taken together, these data suggest that DON was more toxic to the mouse when nasally exposed than when orally exposed, and that this might relate to greater tissue burden of the toxin.

Aflatoxin levels in maize and maize products during the 2004 food poisoning outbreak in eastern province of Kenya

On 10th May, 2004 food samples suspected to have caused acute poisoning in Makueni district were received at the National Public Health Laboratory Services (NPHLS). On analysis, they were found to be highly contaminated with aflatoxin B1. More cases of poisoning were reported in the district and in neighbouring districts of Kitui, Machakos and Thika. As at 20th July, 2004 the Ministry of Health was aware of 317 cases of which 125 resulted in deaths. To assess the magnitude of aflatoxin contamination of maize and maize products in the affected areas. Random environmental sampling of maize and maize products and case/control samples of the same in the affected regions and subsequent determination of aflatoxin levels using immunoaffinity coupled with solution fluorometry. National Public Health Laboratory Services, Ministry of Health, Kenya, from May to August, 2004. A total of 480 samples comprising 362 random environmental samples, 26 cases and 92 controls were collected and analysed. The foods analysed included maize grains, maize flour and dehulled dry maize, traditionally known as muthokoi. Forty six point four per cent of the environmental samples, 15% of cases and 29.3% of controls were within the maximum permissible limit of 20 microg implying that over 50% (54.4) of the total did not comply and would be regarded as unfit for human consumption. 6.9% of the environmental samples, 57.7% of cases and 21.7 of controls had levels beyond 1000 microg/Kg. The amount of aflatoxin observed in the food samples had a range of 0-58,000 microg/Kg. The population in the affected region was exposed to high levels of aflatoxin. There is need to address the issue of pre and post harvest handling of grain and establishing monitoring and surveillance for early detection and intervention.

A RHEOMETER FOR MEASURING THE PROPERTIES OF GRANULAR MATERIALS

ABSTRACT A great many technological applications such as pneumatic handling of grains and minerals, drying of particles, gasification of solid fuels, require an understanding of the properties of granular solids. Material parameters which can describe the common phenomena exhibited by these granular materials, such as dilatancy, cohesion, adhesion, frictional resistance, etc. need to be incorporated in the model and methods devised for measuring and quantifying them. Reliable experiments are required to measure the properties of these materials. However, this branch of rheology has not been as well studied as the rheology of fluids due to the difficulties inherent to grannular materials in that they exhibit both solid-like and fluid-like properties. Here, we discuss the development of an instrument which can evaluate the material properties of grannular solids. Experimental investigations verify the commonly exhibited phenomena by these materials and estimate the various forces which are generated due to the flow of these materials, thereby enabling their characterization.

Fusarium toxins and fungi associated with handling of grain on eight Finnish farms

Farmers' exposure to airborne dust, fungi and possibly also to Fusarium toxins during the drying and milling of grain and feeding of cattle was studied on eight Finnish farms. Airborne viable and total spores were collected on polycarbonate filters. Spore concentrations and fungal flora were determined by cultivation and epifluorescence microscope counting. Eighteen airborne dust samples were taken on glass-fiber filters with a high-volume sampler, and biological toxicity was tested from those samples. In toxic dust samples, Fusarium toxins were analyzed with a gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Fungi and Fusarium toxins were also analyzed in ten grain samples collected from the farms during the air sampling. Yeasts, as well as species of Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Absidia and Fusarium occurred in the air at all three stages of grain handling. Airborne spore concentrations ranged from 103 to 10 6 cfu m −3 for viable fungi and from 10 5 to 10 7 spores m −3 for total spores; airborne dust concentrations varied from 0.04 to 81.1 mg m −3. Low deoxynivalenol concentrations (3 and 20 ng m −3) were found in two air samples collected during milling. Fusarium spp. were identified in eight grain samples, and DON concentrations of 0.004–11 mg kg −1 were detected in all samples analyzed. Although any conclusion on Finnish farmers' exposure to mycotoxins cannot be done on the basis of this small data, it can be assumed that toxigenic fungi and Fusarium toxins may occur in the air and inhalation exposure of farmers to Fusarium toxins is possible in agricultural environment.

Separation of Mycotoxin-Containing Sources in Grain Dust and Determination of Their Mycotoxin Potential

Two distinct reservoirs of mycotoxins exist in fungal-infected cereal grains--the fungal spores and the spore-free mycelium-substrate matrix. Many fungal spores are of respirable size and the mycelium-substrate matrix can be pulverized to form particles of respirable size during routine handling of grain. In order to determine the contribution of each source to the level of mycotoxin contamination of dust, we developed techniques to harvest and separate mycelium-substrate matrices from spores of fungi. Conventional quantitative chromatographic analyses of separated materials indicated that aflatoxin from Aspergillus parasiticus, norsolorinic acid from a mutant of A. parasiticus, and secalonic acid D from Penicillium oxalicum were concentrated in the mycelium-substrate matrices and not in the spores. In contrast, spores of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus contained significant concentrations of aurasperone C and fumigaclavine C, respectively; only negligible amounts of the toxins were detected in the mycelium-substrate matrices of these two fungi.

Separation of mycotoxin-containing sources in grain dust and determination of their mycotoxin potential.

Two distinct reservoirs of mycotoxins exist in fungal-infected cereal grains--the fungal spores and the spore-free mycelium-substrate matrix. Many fungal spores are of respirable size and the mycelium-substrate matrix can be pulverized to form particles of respirable size during routine handling of grain. In order to determine the contribution of each source to the level of mycotoxin contamination of dust, we developed techniques to harvest and separate mycelium-substrate matrices from spores of fungi. Conventional quantitative chromatographic analyses of separated materials indicated that aflatoxin from Aspergillus parasiticus, norsolorinic acid from a mutant of A. parasiticus, and secalonic acid D from Penicillium oxalicum were concentrated in the mycelium-substrate matrices and not in the spores. In contrast, spores of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus contained significant concentrations of aurasperone C and fumigaclavine C, respectively; only negligible amounts of the toxins were detected in the mycelium-substrate matrices of these two fungi.

Grain Flow Restrictions in Harvesting-Delivery-Drying Systems

ABSTRACT A model has been developed which simulates the har-vesting, delivery, and handling of grain for any specified grain production enterprise. This study describes the procedures used in validating the model. A time and motion analysis was used with three sets of ac-tual field observations. A comparison is made between simulated and measured values for total grain harvested, number of combine and field unloadings, and vehicle wait time.

Settlements in rural areas: Planned landscapes and unplanned changes in South Australia

Rural landscape planning which ignores the needs and aspirations of the people who live and work in the rural areas is less than adequate. At the beginning of this century a rural settlement pattern was planned for the cereal growing and sheep raising area of the Murray Mallee in South Australia. It ensured that every farmer was within about 16 km of a railway and a small trade centre. But this planned settlement system has been modified during the post-war years. The changed status of trade centres between 1954 and 1971 is looked at in detail, the critical threshold levels at which they operate being emphasized. The factors of mechanization and enlargement of holdings, of increased personal mobility and rising rural expectations, and the re-organization of the school system and of the handling of grain by Government and by farmers' co-operatives respectively are singled out as the main agents of change. The planning implications of the changes are considered, attention being drawn to the likely future trends, the critical nature of centres in certain categories and locations, and the need to rationalize the rural settlement system in order to provide basic facilities for the rural population. These changes and adjustments are common to other parts of the wheat/sheep land-use zone in South Australia, in Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, the Northern Areas, and generally throughout similar land-use zones in other states of the continent.

Performance of Grain Augers

With the growing increase in the bulk handling of grain, the grain-auger type elevator is now being widely used. While some theoretical analyses of the grain auger have been made and performance data for particular size augers have been obtained, little information is available for general design purposes. This work, which is based on an experimental approach, is aimed at producing such information. The investigation has been carried out using a small scale model auger which allowed a comprehensive range of tests to be conducted on a more manageable basis In the first part of the investigation, a study is made of the auger performance characteristics with the aim of determining the conditions for most efficient operation. An examination is made of output and volumetric efficiency in relation to speed, angle of elevation and choke length (the length of exposed screw projecting from the lower end of the casing). The effect of casing clearance on auger output is also partially examined. In addition, the variation of auger horsepower and overall efficiency with speed and angle of elevation is observed In the second part of the investigation, equations are developed and design charts given which enable the performance of augers to be predicted. The equations and charts are based on the application of dimensional analysis and dynamic similarity and apply to augers of the same geometrical proportions as those of the model. The data apply mainly to granular materials of similar shape and properties to wheat. A comparison is made between the predicted performance with the actual performance of a 6-in. auger, good agreement being obtained The investigation shows that many combinations of auger size, speed and angle of elevation may be adopted for a particular conveying application and general recommendations are given regarding the choice of these variables for efficient operation

Farm-Management Problems in Shifting From Sack to Bulk Handling of Grain in the Pacific Northwest

Farm-Management Problems in Shifting From Sack to Bulk Handling of Grain in the Pacific Northwest

Modern Dock Appliances at Glasgow Harbour, Including the Handling of Grain in Bulk, Also Dredging Plant

Modern Dock Appliances at Glasgow Harbour, Including the Handling of Grain in Bulk, Also Dredging Plant