FACTSHEETS FOR FARMERS
www.plantwise.orgCreated in Zambia, July 2015
Maize dryness testing before storage
Recognize the problem
Post-harvest losses are a common problem in maize production. Some farmers
are storing maize before the cobs and grains are dry enough. Then fungal
diseases germinate on the grains and destroy them.
Background
Farmers must dry or wait for their maize grains to dry in order to avoid
germination of fungal diseases in the storage period. Well dried grains have
only about 12 to 15% moisture, a cob that has just been harvested can have
up to 50% moisture. Well dried cobs and grains maintain quality (Bubotu in
Tonga), and the grains can be kept for a long period (up to 12 months). This
assures food can be stored in households for a long period. After drying, the
farmer needs to do a home grain dryness test to make sure very low moisture
content (Mudumu in Tonga) is reached. There are three test methods.
Management
• Spread the harvested maize cobs on drying racks off the ground and not
in a heap and if possible do not spread onto the ground for drying.
Alternatively, store them in well ventilated open-air flow barns.
• 2 to 5 weeks of drying process is needed in dry sunny conditions.
• Sample (kusala in Tonga) 10 cobs that were dried.
• This is usually done at shelling after short storage in the ban.
• 1. Break a few grains using teeth and if the grain breaks without any
difficulty then the grain has reached its low storage moisture content.
• 2. The second test method is to remove 10 grains from the 10 selected
cobs and put them in a dry tin. Tightly close it for 2 to 3 days and if
there is no heating or fungal disease, it has reached its low storage
moisture content.
• 3. Alternatively, a seed moisture tester can be jointly bought by a
farming community, or may be used via a service provider.
• If dryness testing shows that cobs are still too wet proceed with drying.
Scientific name(s) > Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp.
The recommendations in this factsheet are relevant to: Zambia
Authors: George E Silumbwe
Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock
tel: +260 961 189 769 email: edwardgoergesilumbwe@gmail.com
Edited by Plantwise
Plantwise is a global initiative led by CABI
ZM039En
Lose Less, Feed More
Harvested maize to be tested
whether dry enough for storage.
(Photo by George Silumbwe)
Dryness tested maize grains ready
for storage. (Photo by George
Silumbwe)
