Abstract:
Abstract: Heavy moisture content in the Huang-Huai Plain of China has posed great difficulty in the storage of maize ear, particularly easy to mildew. Scientific storage of fresh maize free from drying has become a high demand to reduce postharvest loss in the actual production of maize in the current cooperative society (co-op). In this study, a feasible storage warehouse with mechanical ventilation was developed for the storage of maize ear. A field test was also conducted. Precipitation with a strong wind at ambient temperature was utilized to specially design the air channel of Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV), Negative Pressure Ventilation (NPV), and natural ventilation (NV) in a storage warehouse. A blowing machine and an Induced Draft (ID) fan ran alternately to achieve the air exchange in a storage warehouse. Some sensors were utilized to monitor the temperature and humidity of the storage warehouse in real time. A PLC control system was selected to match the alternate work of air exchange and regain consciousness, further to keep dry and quality on a large quantity of fresh corncob. In the niblet (kernel of corn), the moisture, fatty acid, and volume weight were measured to explore the change of mildew and quality, together with the moisture of corncob, and then to evaluate the storage character and loss, finally to establish predicted models during the storage. The test results showed that this storage warehouse with mechanical ventilation and temperature control can implement for 80-day dry storage of maize niblet. The parameters presented suitable for storage, where the moisture content was lower than the standard safe value, with maize fatty acid of 39.9 mg/100g, volume weight of 740 g/L, mildew rate of 0.6%, broken rate of 0.4%, impurity rate of 0.07%, normal color and taste. The storage warehouses demonstrated the stable performance of waterproof, mildew resistant, and pest-proof, thereby reducing the postharvest loss and saving energy for the better quality of stored maize. The price was 0.20-0.25 Yuan/500g higher than that in the harvest season. As such, the farmers can keep maize in storage for a better price to sell.