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Testing of the Grainpro Cocoon for Storage of Paddy

Md. Abul Quasem
Senior Scientific Officer
Farm Machinery and Postharvest Technology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur-1701

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A GrainPro cocoon(store) supplied by the Allied Agro Industries,Dhaka was tested for its suitability as seed grain storage at BRRI. Grain samples were analyzed for measurement of moisture content,viability of seed and insect population (live and dead). Moisture content of stored paddy in gunny bags inside the cocoon maintained equilibrium during 3 months of storage period. Viability of stored seed also maintained above 94%. In the control,seed viability reduced drastically from 98.5 to 74%. Insect population (live) inside the cocoon became almost nil during the storage period. Insects were dead due to high concentration of released CO2 and reduced level of O2 within ten days of the store set up. The zipperdid not work due to deformation in the lining towards the end of the storage period. Oxygen analyzer also gave faulty reading.

Keywords: Seed viability, Temperature, Insect infestation, Cocoon

Location: Gazipur

Start Date: 01-07-1999

End Date: 30-06-2000

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Farm machineries, Farm machineries

Objectives:

1. To test the Cocoon for its suitability as seed grain storage 2. To study the quality of stored grain as seed

Methodology:

Grainpro Cocoon is made of flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material and have only two parts with zip together. The Cocoon was set up in the store room of Farm Division, BRRI HQ. Bottom part of the Cocoon was spread on the ground and about 3650 kg of paddy were put in five layers of jute bags on it. Then the upper part of Cocoon is placed on the paddy bags and closed with the Zip mechanisms. Before placing paddy in the Cocoon storage and in control paddy samples were collected to measure moisture content, test viability and counting of insect population. Both in the Cocoon storage system as well as outside of Cocoon, one data logger each was placed to monitor the temperature and relative humidity at 6 hours regular interval. Oxygen contents of Cocoon and ambient air were monitored by oxygen analyzer regularly at the first week, twice in the second week and once every month. The storage system was regularly observed in order to check any default. Immediately after storage air leakage was found in the Cocoon system due to zipper failure and it was re-closed by the Zipper. After 100 days of storage, the Cocoon was opened and paddy samples were collected from the same bags for measuring moisture content, viability and insect population. Carbon dioxide concentration could not be measured due to non-availability of the CO2 analyzer.

Source of Information: BRRI Annual Research Review 1999-00.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Moisture content inside the Cocoon of paddy maintained equilibrium and paddy in the control bags gained some moisture. This indicated that Cocoon had proved air tight environment, so moisture from out side atmosphere could not enter into the system. In the samples of 1,2,3 and 4 seed viability was drastically reduced from 87.8 to 54.5%, due to the old infested variety of paddy was used in this experiment. It was observed that seed viability maintained above 94% for sample 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 as the relatively fresh paddy was used. In case for samples of 11 to 15 in Cocoon, seed viability was maintained above 80% from the initial viability of 89.1% and 93 to 32%. In the control, seed viability drastically reduced from 98.5 to 74%. These findings indicated that seed viability was maintained in the Cocoon storage due to its physical property. Live insect population became almost nil (Borer and weevil) in the Cocoon after 100 days. Dead insects were accumulated in the bottom part of the Cocoon, which indicates that the Cocoon maintained low O2%. It was found that insect population was high in the control (35 and 4) compared to the Cocoon storage (0 and 0). After few weeks of storage, oxygen level inside the Cocoon was about 12% and that was maintained through out the remaining part of three months. We did not notice any visible leak in the Cocoon. It may be due to faulty reading of oxygen analyzer. After three months of storage period, when the Cocoon was opened for inspection, the zipper did not work well due to deformation in the lining of the zipper.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings