Low permeability triple-layer plastic bags prevent losses of maize caused by insects in rural on-farm stores

Ng’ang’a, J and Mutungi, C and Imathiu, S M and Affognon, H D (2016) Low permeability triple-layer plastic bags prevent losses of maize caused by insects in rural on-farm stores. Food Security. 01-13. ISSN 1876-4525

PDF - Published Version Restricted to ICRISAT users only Download (977kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Participatory on-farm trials were conducted to assess effectiveness of Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS™) bags for storage of maize in small-scale farmers’ stores in rural villages in eastern Kenya. A PICS bag is a three-layered hermetic bag-system that forms a barrier against the influx of oxygen and the escape of carbon dioxide. Jute, woven polypropylene or PICS bags were filled with shelled maize grain, purchased from the participating farmers, and the three sets of bags kept in the farmers’ own stores for 35 weeks. Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the PICS bags were monitored, as well as the temperature and relative humidity in all the bags. Grain moisture, live insect population, grain damage and weight loss were examined at intervals of seven weeks. Oxygen and carbon dioxide composition demonstrated that PICS bags are capable of sustaining good air-barrier properties under farmer storage conditions. Moreover, moisture content of maize stored in PICS bags did not change throughout the storage period whereas the moisture content of maize stored in polypropylene and jute bags decreased significantly in the final 14 weeks. Maize stored in PICS bags remained free from insect infestation and the weight loss due to insect damage was below 1 %. On the contrary, polypropylene and jute bags permitted profuse build-up of insect populations. At 35 weeks, grain damage reached 77.6 % and 82.3 % corresponding to 41.2 % and 48.5 % weight loss in the polypropylene and jute bags respectively. These findings demonstrate that PICS bags are effective in controlling losses caused by storage pests under farmer storage conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Others
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Maize, On-farm, Storage losses, Hermetic bags, Farm stores
Subjects:	Others > Maize
Depositing User:	Mr Ramesh K
Date Deposited:	15 Apr 2016 10:05
Last Modified:	06 Sep 2017 08:54
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/9431
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12571-016-0567-9
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement:	C. Mutungi is thankful to Grand Challenges Canada for a grant (GCC-0423-01) to conduct this study. The authors thank the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) for institutional support.
Links:	Google Scholar

View Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item