Kernel Damage Research Articles

Efficient Strip Belt Shelling and Air Suction Cleaning Units for Sunflower Seeds

This study was aimed to design and develop the strip belt shelling and cleaning units for sunflower seeds. The different principles of operation by streak belt consist of number of strips and its configurations: full swath section, 4 – 5 zigzag and 4 eccentric drums. Five different linear velocities of drum 9.75, 10.00, 10.25, 10.50 and 10.75 m/s were evaluated. Pacific sunflower with 9.62% w.b. moisture content was prepared to test the performance of shelling unit. In the cleaning unit, the testing was done at various 1.82 – 3.08 m/s air suction speeds and 30 – 40 degrees plate inclination angles. The shelling result showed the appropriated condition was 4 eccentric drum with the 10.50 m/s linear velocity. The shelling was achieved 80.43% efficiency and 84.36% commercial seeds (whole and small damage kernels) at 15.17 kg/h capacity. The proper condition for cleaning was 2.45 m/s air suction speed and 30 degrees plate inclination angle. Cleaning achievements were 98.64% efficiency and 0.07% kernel loss in suction air.

Content of free amino groups during postharvest wheat and flour maturation in relation to gluten quality

The objective of this study was to monitor the changes in the content of free amino groups during postharvest wheat and flour maturation. The content of free amino groups of wheat flour was analysed immediately after wheat harvest, after 50days of wheat storage and after 14days of flour storage varying by wet gluten samples incubation temperatures and incubation times (0, 90 or 135min at 30°C and after that 180min at 37°C). The results were observed in relation to wheat-bug damaged kernels content, gluten index values, proteolytic activity and electrophoretic properties of gliadins and glutenins. The content of free amino groups increased during postharvest wheat and flour maturation periods. Proteolytic activity values were the highest 50days after the wheat storage. The electrophoretic determination indicated a macromolecular redistribution of the gluten proteins from the moment of the wheat harvest until the moment of flour stabilisation.

Identification of Fusarium damaged wheat kernels using image analysis

Visual evaluation of kernels damaged by Fusarium spp. pathogens is labour intensive and due to a subjective approach, it can lead to inconsistencies. Digital imaging technology combined with appropriate statistical methods can provide much faster and more accurate evaluation of the visually scabby kernels proportion. The aim of the present study was to develop a discrimination model to identify wheat kernels infected by Fusarium spp. using digital image analysis and statistical methods. Winter wheat kernels from field experiments were evaluated visually as healthy or damaged. Deoxynivalenol (DON) content was determined in individual kernels using an ELISA method. Images of individual kernels were produced using a digital camera on dark background. Colour and shape descriptors were obtained by image analysis from the area representing the kernel. Healthy and damaged kernels differed significantly in DON content and kernel weight. Various combinations of individual shape and colour descriptors were examined during the development of the model using linear discriminant analysis. In addition to basic descriptors of the RGB colour model (red, green, blue), very good classification was also obtained using hue from the HSL colour model (hue, saturation, luminance). The accuracy of classification using the developed discrimination model based on RGBH descriptors was 85 %. The shape descriptors themselves were not specific enough to distinguish individual kernels.

Toxicity and persistence of three pyrethroids for the control of cereal bugs on common wheat

Sunn pests are responsible for serious kernel damage on wheat (Triticum aestivum L., Poaceae), affecting bread-making quality from their feeding at the late milk-ripe stage. In this study the toxicity of three pyrethroids usually applied to this crop (λ-cyhalothrin, α-cypermethrin, τ-fluvalinate) was evaluated on two bug species, the wheat bug Eurygaster maura (L.) and the green stink bug Nezara viridula (L.) in both laboratory and semi-field conditions, to implement an effective and sustainable control strategy. Laboratory trials showed small differences between the insecticides, whereas field cage trials gave more information on toxicity and persistence of the three pyrethroids. The most toxic and with good persistence on plants was α-cypermethrin, followed by λ-cyhalothrin, which had an intermediate persistence. By contrast, τ-fluvalinate showed a high persistence on plants, but seemed unsuited for wheat bug control because of its low toxicity, as clearly demonstrated in both laboratory and semi-field trials. The results provide clear information on the application strategy of the tested pyrethroids. In this context, α-cypermethrin proved to be the most promising active ingredient for wheat bug control, particularly for early application of the insecticide in a mixture with a fungicide at the wheat heading stage, eliminating the need for a separate additional treatment by the farmer.

Concentration and cultivar effects on efficacy of CLO-1 biofungicide in controlling Fusarium head blight of wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease of wheat in Canada and Clonostachys rosea strain ACM941 has been identified as a promising biological control agent for managing FHB. In the present research the concentration and cultivar effects on the efficacy of CLO-1, a formulated product of C. rosea strain ACM941, in controlling FHB and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination in wheat was studied. Of the eight concentrations ranging from 104 to 108cfumL−1 evaluated, significant effects were generally observed for concentrations at or above 106cfumL−1 in the greenhouse and field trials in 2009 and 2010. In the greenhouse, CLO-1 reduced the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) by 65–83%, Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) by 68–92%, and DON by 51–95%. Under field conditions, CLO-1 reduced FHB index by 30–46%, FDK by 31–39%, and DON by 22–33%. These effects were numerically lower but not significantly different from those of the registered fungicide Folicur® (tebuconazole) used in these trials. When applied onto wheat cultivars differing in resistance to FHB in field trials in 2009 and 2010, CLO-1 was most effective on the moderately resistant cultivar AC Nass (representing the highest level of resistance commercially available) and least effective on the highly susceptible cultivar AC Foremost. Results of this study suggest that CLO-1 is a promising biocontrol product that may be used in combination with cultivar resistance for managing FHB in wheat.

Critical environmental and genotypic factors for Fusarium verticillioides infection, fungal growth and fumonisin contamination in maize grown in northwestern Spain

In northwestern Spain, where weather is rainy and mild throughout the year, Fusarium verticillioides is the most prevalent fungus in kernels and a significant risk of fumonisin contamination has been exposed. In this study, detailed information about environmental and maize genotypic factors affecting F. verticillioides infection, fungal growth and fumonisin content in maize kernels was obtained in order to establish control points to reduce fumonisin contamination. Evaluations were conducted in a total of 36 environments and factorial regression analyses were performed to determine the contribution of each factor to variability among environments, genotypes, and genotype×environment interactions for F. verticillioides infection, fungal growth and fumonisin content. Flowering and kernel drying were the most critical periods throughout the growing season for F. verticillioides infection and fumonisin contamination. Around flowering, wetter and cooler conditions limited F. verticillioides infection and growth, and high temperatures increased fumonisin contents. During kernel drying, increased damaged kernels favored fungal growth, and higher ear damage by corn borers and hard rainfall favored fumonisin accumulation. Later planting dates and especially earlier harvest dates reduced the risk of fumonisin contamination, possibly due to reduced incidence of insects and accumulation of rainfall during the kernel drying period. The use of maize varieties resistant to Sitotroga cerealella, with good husk coverage and non-excessive pericarp thickness could also be useful to reduce fumonisin contamination of maize kernels.

Automatic corn (Zea mays) kernel inspection system using novelty detection based on principal component analysis

Corn ( Zea mays ) kernel processing companies evaluate the quality of kernels to determine the price of a batch. Human inspectors in labs inspect a reduced set of kernels to estimate the proportion of damaged kernels in any given lot. The visual differences between good and damaged kernels may be minor and, therefore, difficult to discern. Our goal is to design a computer vision system that enables the automatic evaluation of the quality of corn lots. To decide if an individual kernel can be accepted or rejected, it is necessary to design a method to detect defects, as well as quantify the defective proportions. A setup to work in-line and an approach to identify damaged kernels that combines algorithm-based computer vision techniques of novelty detection and principal component analysis (PCA) is presented. Experiments were carried out in three colour spaces using 450 dent corn kernels previously classified by experts. Results show that the method is promising (92% success) but extensions are recommended to further improve results.

Design and implementation of a low cost computer vision system for sorting of closed-shell pistachio nuts

Iran is one of the most important producers and exporters of pistachio nuts in the world. Certainly, the quality of pistachio is very important for customers. Sorting of pistachio nuts is a post-harvesting process which is currently performed using a mechanical apparatus called “pin picker”. Due to the possibility of kernel damage by the pin picker, mechanical methods of closed-shell pistachio removal are gradually being replaced by other appropriate systems. Low cost systems for post-harvesting processes such as computer vision-based sorting systems are experiencing rapid growth. In this paper, a low cost intelligent system is implemented for pistachio sorting using computer vision. The system uses a combination of two flat mirrors and one low cost camera to obtain suitable 3 dimensional images from pistachios which are processed to detect closed-shell nuts. The experimental results for the three varieties of pistachios nuts shows 92.7 and 86.7% average removal accuracy, respectively for open and closed shell pistachio nuts. Key words: Pistachio, closed shell, sorting, computer vision.

Occurrence of Deoxynivalenol and Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in Hard Red Spring Wheat Grown in the USA

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin found in wheat that is infected with Fusarium fungus. DON may also be converted to a type of “masked mycotoxin”, named deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G), as a result of detoxification of the plant. In this study, DON and D3G were measured using gas chromatographic (GC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in wheat samples collected during 2011 and 2012 in the USA. Results indicate that the growing region had a significant effect on the DON and D3G (p < 0.0001). There was a positive correlation between both methods (GC and LC-MS) used for determination of DON content. DON showed a significant and positive correlation with D3G during 2011. Overall, DON production had an effect on D3G content and kernel damage, and was dependent on environmental conditions during Fusarium infection.

Detection of the granary weevil based on X-ray images of damaged wheat kernels

Grain in storage is exposed to a number of adverse factors, including extensive damage to grain kernels caused by infestations of the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius. This pest causes a major decline in grain quality leading to a substantial drop in the value of the stored material, thus contributing to large financial losses. It is therefore essential to ensure that this pest is identified promptly and accurately if present in the stored grain.The purpose of this study was to define the visual representative features found in digital X-ray images of wheat kernels that bear traces of inner kernel damage caused by the granary weevil. Such features are required to build training sets, which are crucial for the development of digital neural classifiers. Subsequently, a set of identifying neural models was produced and verified, after which an optimal topology was selected. The optimal artificial neural network (ANN) was a three-layer perceptron with the following structure: 8:11-6-1:1. The proposed model identified 100% of the infested kernels correctly, and 98.4% of the healthy ones. The analysis of the sensitivity of the generated neural model demonstrated the significance of the following three graphical parameters determining the quality of damaged kernel identification: cultivar, Feret coefficient (WF) and the area (P) of the kernel.

Efficacy of Three Insecticides for Controlling Corn Earworm, &lt;i&gt;Helicoverpa zea&lt;/i&gt; (Boddie) in Maize

A field study was conducted to test the efficacy of three insecticides viz. Dursban 20 EC, Decis 2.5 EC and Lebaycid 50 EC with three different doses @ 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% in controlling the Helicoverpa zea in maize (cv. BARI Hybrid Bhutta-5) at Entomology Field Laboratory, BAU, Mymensingh. The results showed that the lowest percent of cob infestation was 1.72%, 1.90% and 2.75% at 3 DAT, 7 DAT and 12 DAT in 0.3% Decis treated plots, respectively. The highest percent of cob infestation was observed in untreated plots. The lowest mean number of kernel damage (2.10) and yield loss (1.40 kg/ha) were found with 0.3% Decis 2.5 EC treated plots. The efficacy of insecticides were Decis 2.5 EC (0.3%) &gt; Decis 2.5 EC (0.2%) &gt; Dursban 20 EC (0.3%) &gt; Lebaycid 50 EC (0.3%). The efficacy of all insecticides on cob infestation at different time intervals indicated that insecticidal toxicity decreases with the increasing time after application.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pa.v20i1-2.16848 Progress. Agric. 20(1 &amp; 2): 43 – 47, 2009

Study on Nature and Extent of Damage of Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) in Maize

A field study was conducted on the nature and extent of damage of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) in two maize varieties viz. BARI Hybrid Bhutta-5 and BARI Bhutta-7. The larvae caused damage by feeding on the ear tip at silk stage and then to kernel, the larvae were mainly confined to the ear tip and excreted faecal matter. It was found that the cob infestation rate was in linear progress and the mean cob infestation was 6.50% and 6.69% in BARI Hybrid Bhutta-5 and BARI Bhutta-7, respectively. The mean length of cob infestation was 24.90% and 25.07% and the mean number of kernel damage was 24.30 and 25.43 in BARI Hybrid Bhutta-5 and BARI Bhutta-7, respectively. The average yield loss was 0.016 t/ha in BARI Hybrid Bhutta-5 and 0.017 t/ha in BARI Bhutta-7. It was revealed from the results that BARI Bhutta-7 was more susceptible to this pest.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pa.v20i1-2.16849 Progress. Agric. 20(1 &amp; 2): 49 – 55, 2009

DEVELOPMENT A PACKED VERTICAL DISK CORN SHELLER FOR RURAL DWELLER

The main objective of this paper is to development of small corn Sheller for rural dweller at operated by using an electric motor. The effect of some parameter such as: operating speeds 229, 275 and 330 rpm and three sizes of corn cobs ( less than 45mm, 45 -50 mm and more than 50 mm) at average moisture content 13.81 % on shelling efficiency, unshelled kernels percentage, damage kernels percentage, shelling productivity, power consumption and total cost ( unit cost + criterion cost ) . The results revealed that, with increase of operating speed shelling efficiency decreased and productivity, unshelled percentage, kernels damage percentage and power consumption with all sizes of corn cobs increased. The heights shelling efficiency and Sheller productivity of (99.65, 99.61 and 99.48%) and (94.38, 127.02 and 138 kg/h) at operating speed 229, 275 and 330 rpm respectively with all sizes corn cob. It is recommended that the operating of the corn Sheller was 275 rpm achieve average shelling efficiency of 99.35 %, unshelled kernels of 0.65 %, damage kernels of 5.25 % , productivity of 98.8 kg/h and average total cost ( unit cost + criterion cost ) of 112.40 L.E/ton for sum the sizes corn cob. The total cost ( unit cost + criterion cost ) of 382.72 L.E/Mg were high when operating the corn Sheller manually.

Is It Possible to Control Fumonisin Contamination in Maize Kernels by Using Genotypes Resistant to the Mediterranean Corn Borer?

Insect activity has long been associated with Fusarium infection. The objectives of the current study were 1) to estimate the impact of Mediterranean corn borer, Sesamia nonagrioides Lefèbvre, damage on fumonisin contamination in the maize kernel by comparing fumonisin contamination under infestation and protected conditions, and 2) to measure the potential use of genotypes resistant to this borer as controlling factors of fumonisin contamination. Genotypes with increased kernel damage by borers tended to increase fumonisin accumulation under infestation conditions. In particular environments, other factors influenced fumonisin contamination more than damage by borers. When ear damage by borers is significant, maize resistance to ear damage could contribute to the reduction of fumonisin contamination in the kernels. Genotype such as EP42 x EP77 that combines low ear damage by borers and low fumonisin level across environments is a good choice to control fumonisin contamination. The use of an applicable methodology to identify Mediterranean corn borer-resistant genotypes to ear attack under artificial infestations might be a promising approach.

The Use of Sugar Baits for the Integrated Management of Soil Arthropod Pests in Peanut (Arachis hypogaeaL.) in Ghana, West Africa

Soil arthropods cause kernel and pod damage and can lower yields of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Ghana, West Africa. On-station and on-farm experiments were conducted during 2007 and 2008 at Kwadaso and Hiawoannwu, respectively, using an improved peanut cultivar/line RRR-ICGU 88709 in a soil arthropod pests management trial. The trial included four treatments, i.e. chlorpyrifos (Dursban™) insecticide as a standard, three levels of granulated sugar as baits, and an untreated control. Soil arthropod pests observed in peanut plots during both years from the two locations were white grubs, millipedes, symphilids, termites, earwigs, and red ants while predators included centipedes and black ants. Termites and red ants were the predominant arthropod pests and predatory black ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) exceeded that of centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda) in the two trial locations. The proportion of unfilled pods was high in the two locations during both years. Generally, the population of centipedes was lo...

Multiple view image analysis of freefalling U.S. wheat grains for damage assessment

Currently, inspection of wheat in the United States for grade and class is performed by human visual analysis. This is a time consuming operation typically taking several minutes for each sample. Digital imaging research has addressed this issue over the past two decades, with success in recognition of differing wheat classes and distinguishing wheat from non-wheat species. Detection of wheat kernel defects caused either by damage or disease has been a greater challenge. A study was undertaken using high-speed digital imaging to detect damaged U.S. grown kernels in freefall, one kernel at a time. The system is composed of hardware (camera, lighting, power supplies, and data acquisition card) and associated software for instrument control, data collection, and analysis. It was designed to capture images of freefalling kernels at opposing angles through the use of optical grade mirrors. Parameterization was performed on kernel morphological and textural characteristics of three views (primary and two reflections), whereupon these terms were used to develop classification models for sound and damaged classes. Fifty samples of hard red and white wheat subjected to weather-related damage during plant development were examined. Parametric (linear discriminant analysis, LDA) and non-parametric (k-nearest neighbor, KNN) classification models were tested to determine the image features that best fostered recognition of kernel damage (mold, pre-harvest sprouting, and black tip). The morphological features used in classification included area, projected volume, perimeter, ellipse eccentricity, and major and minor axis lengths. Textural features from calculated gray level co-occurrence matrices (including contrast, correlation, energy, homogeneity) as well as entropy were also considered, as were elliptic Fourier descriptors (truncated Fourier series functions that defined the contour of border in each view). The results indicate that with a combination of two morphological and four texture properties, classification levels attain 91–94% accuracy, depending on the type of classification model (LDA or KNN). The research findings are intended to lead to the streamlining of feature extraction in image-based grain inspection as well as to provide design criteria for high speed sorting.

Bahasa Indonesia

The objective of this study was to investigate the physical quality, Aspergillus flavus population and aflatoxin B1 content of raw peanut kernels collected from retailers in two traditional markets (pasar Anyar and pasar Bogor) in the city of Bogor in August 2009. The number of samples collected from pasar Anyar and pasar Bogor was 14 and 12, respectively. Physical quality of kernels was determined based on the percentage of intact, shriveled and damaged kernels. Damaged kernels consisted of broken and damaged kernels caused by insect or fungal attack. Aspergillus flavus population was determined using serial dilution method followed by pour plating method on aspergillus flavus and parasiticus agar. Aflatoxin B1 content was determined using thin layer chromatography method. The results showed, that the mean of percentage of intact, shriveled and damaged kernels of peanuts collected from pasar Anyar was 70.6, 12.3 and 17.1%, respectively; while that of collected from pasar Bogor was 60.2, 12.7 and 27.1%, respectively. The mean of A. flavus populations in peanuts collected from pasar Anyar and pasar Bogor was 8194 cfu g-1 and 983 cfu g-1, respectively. The mean of aflatoxin B1 content in peanuts collected from pasar Anyar and pasar Bogor was 2.0 ppb and 91.4 ppb, respectively. The percentage of peanut samples containing aflatoxin B1 more than 15 ppb and collected from pasar Anyar and pasar Bogor was 7.1% and 25%, respectively.

Effects of the mechanical damage on the water absorption process by corn kernel

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate and model the water absorption process by corn kernels with different levels of mechanical damage Corn kernels of AG 1510 variety with moisture content of 14.2 (% d.b.) were used. Different mechanical damage levels were indirectly evaluated by electrical conductivity measurements. The absorption process was based on the industrial corn wet milling process, in which the product was soaked with a 0.2% sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) solution and 0.55% lactic acid (C 3 H 6 O 3 ) in distilled water, under controlled temperatures of 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C and different mechanical damage levels. The Peleg model was used for the analysis and modeling of water absorption process. The conclusion is that the structural changes caused by the mechanical damage to the corn kernels influenced the initial rates of water absorption, which were higher for the most damaged kernels, and they also changed the equilibrium moisture contents of the kernels. The Peleg model was well adjusted to the experimental data presenting satisfactory values for the analyzed statistic parameters for all temperatures regardless of the damage level of the corn kernels.

Environmental factors related to fungal infection and fumonisin accumulation during the development and drying of white maize kernels

In Southern Europe where whole maize kernels are ground and used for making bread and other food products, infection of the kernels by Fusarium verticillioides and subsequent fumonisin contamination pose a serious safety issue. The influence of environmental factors on this fungal infection and mycotoxin accumulation as the kernel develops has not been fully determined, especially in such food grade maize. The objectives of the present study were to determine which environmental factors may contribute to kernel invasion by F. verticillioides and fumonisin accumulation as kernels develop and dry in naturally infected white maize. Three maize hybrids were planted at two different sowing dates and kernel samples were collected 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100days after silking. The percentage of kernels infected, and ergosterol and fumonisin contents were recorded for each sampling. F. verticillioides was the most prevalent species identified as the kernels developed. Temperature and moisture conditions during the first 80days after silking favored natural kernel infection by F. verticillioides rather than by Aspergillus or Penicillium species. Fumonisin was found in kernels as early as 20days after silking however significant fumonisin accumulation above levels acceptable in the EU did not occur until after physiological maturity of the kernel indicating that kernel drying in the field poses a high risk. Our results suggest that this could be due to increasing kernel damage by insects that favor fungal development, such as the damage by the moth Sitotroga cerealella, and to the occurrence of stress conditions for F. verticillioides growth that could trigger fumonisin biosynthesis, such as exposure to suboptimal temperatures for growth simultaneously with low water activity.

Evaluation of open pollinated varieties of maize for resistance to the maize weevil in a controlled temperature and humidity laboratory in Zimbabwe

Maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky) is one of the major maize storage pests among smallholder farmers in eastern and southern Africa (ESA), thereby, reducing total on-farm maize harvests. Experiments were conducted in a controlled temperature and humidity (CTH) laboratory at CIMMYT-Zimbabwe to compare the resistance of new maize open pollinated varieties (OPVs) from regional trials undertaken in ESA to maize weevils. Twenty maize OPVs were shelled and cleaned before being placed in a deep freezer at −20 °C to kill any pests and eggs in the grain from the field. Fifty grams of grain from each OPV was measured after 3 weeks and placed in the CTH lab for conditioning. The samples were placed in 250-mL jars with brass-screened lids and then infested with 32 maize weevils aged between 10 and 14 days. Data were collected for kernel hardness prior to weevil infestation, as kernel hardness to confer resistance to weevils. The components of maize weevil resistance considered were: median development period, Dobie index of susceptibility, weevil emergence, weevil mortality, weevil fecundity, grain weight loss, kernel damage and germination. There were highly significant differences in maize kernel characteristics and median development period (P < 0.001) among the maize OPVs. There were significant differences in the number of damaged kernels, grain weight loss (P < 0.01), weevil mortality and germination (P < 0.05) among the maize OPVs. There were no significant differences found for weevil progeny emergence (F1), Dobie index of susceptibility and weevil fecundity, the last of which was positively and significantly correlated with kernel damage (P < 0.001). The DIS was positively and significantly correlated with weight loss and F1 (P < 0.001). The maize OPVs 07WEEVIL, Chitedze6, Strigoff126, Strigoff128 and ZM625 were found to be resistant; on the other hand, Strigoff140, Strigoff125, Strigoff133, VP05199 and VP074 varieties were highly susceptible.