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Warm Winter Shortens Grain Storage Life
Bill Wilcke, Minnesota Extension
Engineer
Vance Morey, Professor, University
of Minnesota
Because grain molds and stored grain insects grow faster at warm temperatures,
the mild weather that we experienced this past winter will no doubt
lead to an increase in stored grain mold and insect problems this spring
and summer. It is a good idea for farmers and elevator managers to check
their stored grain as soon as possible for signs of mold and insects.
During the grain inspection, measure grain temperature and moisture
at several locations in the bin. If grain inspection indicates warm
or wet grain, musty or sour odors, or evidence of mold or insect problems,
take action soon—well before summer weather arrives.
Depending on the extent and nature of grain storage problems that are
detected, one or more of the following actions might be appropriate:
- If mold and insects are causing the grain to heat, operate aeration
fans during the coolest weather available (consider just running fans
at night) to reduce the grain temperature. Try to keep the temperature
of grain that will be held into summer at less than 50°F.
- If current grain moisture is too high for summer storage (above
14% moisture for corn, 13% for small grains, and 12% for soybeans),
consider drying the grain to a safe moisture level.
- If grain storage problems are confined to an isolated area in the
bin, try to remove just the problem grain without disturbing the good
quality grain surrounding the problem area.
- If the storage bin contains a lot of broken grain and foreign material
(fines) and/or the grain is infested with insects, consider running
the grain through a grain cleaner to remove the fines and perhaps
a few stored grain insects.
- For any grain that developed mold and insect problems during the
winter, the problems are only going to get worse during warm weather,
so use the grain as soon as possible.
If you are experiencing grain storage problems this year, try to determine
how they could have been prevented, and then make plans to upgrade your
drying and storage facilities or implement management changes that will
reduce future grain storage problems. For more information on managing
stored grain and on planning grain-handling facilities, see the University
of Minnesota Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering web site at www.bae.umn.edu/extens/postharvest.
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