1 Vol. 34(1), 2010 Agricultural Engineering Today vol. 34(1), 2010 Storage Practices of Wheat at Farm Level Sandhya (LM-10052), Rubaljot Kooner and Jugraj Singh ABSTRACT This study was conducted to bring forth the traditional storage practices being followed by farmers to store the wheat grains free from losses by moisture and insects. Five blocks viz. Sidhwan Bet, Jagraon, Sudhar, Machhiwara and Samrala in Ludhiana district OF Punjab were selected for survey of farm level storage practices with concern to identify traditional practices related to grain storage. Modern storage structure like metal bins is popular among the farmers of all categories. Storage structure and grains are properly cleaned and dried before storing grains. Use of aluminum phosphide as grain protectant is most common among farmers although some of them are also using neem leaves, match boxes, hing and garlic cloves as grain protectant. Key words: Storage, grain protectants, moisture, storage structures INTRODUCTION among farmers of low, medium and large category. Proper storage of food grains and other Procter (1994) reported bag storage as the most commodities is necessary to maintain a regular and common method for grain storage in many countries adequate supply of food grains throughout the year but bags do not give any protection against pests. for the consumers including farmers themselves. On the other hand, storage of wheat in bags under Proper storage of food grains is also necessary to husk or wheat straw protects the grains from pests access institution credit for cheaper rates and to and moisture (Varma and Goldey, 2000). safeguard the food grains against various kinds of Varieties of storage facilities have been developed for www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale losses. It has been estimated by governmental a wide variety of food grains produced in the country. agencies that about 60-70 per cent of total food Downloaded From IP - 14.139.224.90 on dated 23-Dec-2020 They can be categorized under two sub heads: grains produced in the country has to be stored and retained at the local level, while the remaining is to 1. Traditional storage system: This storage be handled by the organized governmental, private system is generally being adopted in the country. and food processing industries. It includes structures made of straw, bamboo, reeds, mud clay and bricks and underground Farmers stored grain both in traditional and modern storage structure. Metallic bins, Ferro-cement storage structures like urea bags, metal bins, rooms bins, plywood bins, polythene bins etc are also and double walled concrete rooms. Grain storage included under traditional storage system. facilities in Pakistan are mainly metallic bins and house type godowns (Semple et al, 1992). In South 2. Scientific storage system: This system Asia and most of the developing countries, majority includes Yard or ground storage system, special of wheat is stored in bags in rooms, bins, drums or commodities warehouses, cold storage containers for family consumptions or is piled in farm warehouses, tank storage and general building lacking proper flooring, closed doors and warehouses. windows (Baloch, 2006). Adoption of modern Over the years, the production of food grains is storage structure i.e. metal bins was 100 per cent continuously increasing. The government for many Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Samrala (Punjab) 3 Agricultural Engineering Today years procured all quantities of food grains produced MATERIALS AND METHODS by the farmers. But increasing stocks in government Five blocks viz. Sidhwan Bet, Jagraon, Sudhar, hands have limited its capacity to buy more Machhiwara and Samrala in Ludhiana district of quantities. In view of this, construction of rural Punjab State were selected for survey of farm level godowns in the country by the private entrepreneurs storage practices during 2009. Further five villages and farmers is the need of the hour. from each block namely Sidhwan Kalan, Virk, Pona, Besides the nature of the commodity and the Cheema, Ramgarh from Sidhwan Bet block; package used for its storage, the moisture content Pandori, Chowkimann, Sidhwan Khurd, Dhatt, of the commodity, particularly agricultural produce, Jagraon from Jagraon block; Hissowal, Mohi, plays a vital role in safe storage of the same. Budhel, Rakba, Saholi from Sudhar block; Chehlan, Therefore, the moisture content of the commodity Rohle, Bharthala, Otalan, Mal Majra from Samrala needs to be determined when the goods are block; and Powat, Kukrala Khurd, Kukrala Kalan, received for storage for taking such measures as Rattipur, Sehjo Majra from Macchiwara block were are necessary to ensure that these do not deteriorate selected for the survey. Five farmers from each while in storage. The quality of food grains gets village were interviewed through a structured deteriorated due to the following changes:- interview schedule. Farmers were categorized into different land holdings viz. marginal (< 1 ha), small 1. Physical changes: To prevent the food grains (1-2 ha), medium (2-4 ha), semi medium (4-10 ha) against these changes, the moisture content as and large (>10 ha). free water form should not exceed 14% (Table 1). The food grains should be stored in the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION storage receptacle or godown after proper drying Present study revealed that almost 100% farmers and cooling to avoid further loss to the food stored their produce in cleaned and dried metal bins grains. Foreign matters such as stone, chaffs, of different capacities according to their dust and poisonous weeds etc should be requirements. In Macchiwara block, about 8% removed as these affect the health of the farmers stored their produce in rooms while others consumers. use metal bins for the storage. The farmers believed in metal bins as they protect the grains from moisture 2. Chemical changes: Any change in the and pest attack. www.IndianJournals.com proportion of protein, carbohydrates, fats, Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale minerals, vitamins and water, which mainly Small and medium category farmers stored their Downloaded From IP - 14.139.224.90 on dated 23-Dec-2020 constitute the food grains, may deteriorate the produce almost for seed and household while semi quality of food grains. medium and large category stored wheat for sale 3. Biological changes: Food grains are vital in also (Table 2). During the present investigation, it character and always attract the insect, fungi was observed that wheat for sale or in bulk was and rodents due to which the quality of food piled in separate rooms. To make rooms’ moisture grains gets deteriorated. proof, polythene sheets were laid on concrete floor and along walls and were closed with doors. Doors Table 1: Safe moisture limits of some of the important of these rooms were mud plastered after fumigation cereals:- to make them air tight. Commodity Moisture (%) Farmers have adopted different methods to control Paddy 14 and exclude pests from stores. Before storing wheat Rice 14 was dried and cleaned. New grains were not mixed with old grains and storage structures were properly Wheat 12 cleaned and fumigated. These are recommended Bajra 12 practices before storing a new crop. Use of Barley 12 aluminium phosphide tablets as grain protectant Jowar 12 was most common among farmers of different 4 Vol. 34(1), 2010 Table 2: Relationship of land holdings with storage of wheat for different purposes: Block Land holdings (ha) Farmers storing wheat (%) Sale Seed Household Sudhar <1.0 0.00 40.00 100.00 1.0-2.0 33.33 33.33 100.00 2.5-4.0 50.00 50.00 100.00 4.0-10.0 90.90 72.72 100.00 >10.0 100.00 100.00 100.00 Mean 54.85 59.21 100.00 Jagraon <1.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.0-2.0 25.00 75.00 100.00 2.5-4.0 50.00 50.00 100.00 4.0-10.0 80.00 60.00 100.00 >10.0 100.00 100.00 100.00 Mean 51.00 57.00 80.00 Sidhwan Bet <1.0 0.00 14.28 100.00 1.0-2.0 0.00 100.00 100.00 2.5-4.0 50.00 50.00 100.00 4.0-10.0 85.71 64.28 100.00 >10.0 100.00 100.00 100.00 Mean 47.14 65.71 100.00 Machhiwara <1.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.0-2.0 0.00 100.00 100.00 www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale 2.5-4.0 40.00 80.00 100.00 Downloaded From IP - 14.139.224.90 on dated 23-Dec-2020 4.0-10.0 100.00 83.33 100.00 >10.0 100.00 66.67 100.00 Mean 48.00 66.00 80.00 Samrala <1.0 0.00 50.00 100.00 1.0-2.0 0.00 100.00 100.00 2.5-4.0 0.00 100.00 100.00 4.0-10.0 100.00 77.78 100.00 >10.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mean 20.00 65.56 80.00 categories. This fumigant does not interfere with the In Sudhar block about 7.64% farmers were using germination of the grain and releases phosphine on recommended dose of aluminium phosphide contact with moisture in the air. It is convenient to whereas 35.27% farmers were using overdoses of use but requires air tight conditions for 3-4 days for aluminium phosphide (Table 3). In addition to this total kill (Gwinner et al 1996). 15.82% farmers were using neem leaves and 5 Agricultural Engineering Today Table 3: Percent farmers using different types of control measures against insect pests in Sudhar block. Treatments Land holdings (ha) <1.0 1.0-2.0 2.0-4.0 4.0-10.0 >10.0 Aluminium phophide(R) 20.0 – – 18.19 – Aluminium phophide(O) 40 – 50.0 36.36 50.0 Neem leaves 20 – – 9.09 50.0 Match boxes – 33.3 25.0 9.09 – No treatment – 33.3 – 9.09 – Aluminium phophide & Neem leaves – – – 9.09 – Aluminium phophide & Match boxes – – – 9.09 – Neem leaves & Match boxes 20 33.3 25.0 – – R – Recommended dose O – Overdose 13.48% were using match boxes (6-8 boxes) as which only 9% of them were using the grain protectant in metal bins.