Measurement of maize weevil and fungi damage to stored corn

CHANGES OCCURRING IN MAIZE INFESTED WITH THE MAIZE WEEVIL UNDER CONSTANT CONDITIONS OF 80 DEGREES F AND 65 C 5% RELATIVE HUMIDITY WERE OBSERVED OVER 36 WEEKS OF STORAGE. DRY MATTER WEIGHT LOSS IN INFESTED MAIZE WAS 3.6% AT THE END OF 9 MONTHS OF STORAGE AND 0.7% IN NON-INFESTED MAIZE. NUMBERS OF INSECTS FROM PROBE SAMPLES OF 200-POUND LOTS OF MAIZE WERE NOT A RELIABLE INDICATION OF DAMAGE WHEN COMPARED TO X-RAY EXAMINATION OF SAMPLES. NON-INFESTED LOTS OF MAIZE DID NOT PICK UP MOISTURE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE UNDER THE CONSTANT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. LARGE NUMBERS OF INSECTS IN INFESTED LOTS OF MAIZE RESULTED IN MOISTURE INCREASES; HOWEVER, CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE OCCURRED BEFORE MOISTURE CHANGES WERE DETECTED. NO TEMPERATURE CHANGES DUE TO INSECTS IN THE INFESTED MAIZE WERE DETECTED. SEED GERMINATION IN INFESTED SAMPLES DECREASED, BUT WHETHER THE DECREASE WAS CAUSED BY INSECTS OR BY MOLDS WAS NOT DETERMINED. CHEMICAL TESTS OF MAIZE QUALITY DID NOT SHOW MAIZE DAMAGE. FAT ACIDITY VALUES REMAINED BELOW THE MAXIMUM FOR SOUND MAIZE AND GLUTAMIC ACID DECARBOXYLASE ACTIVITY DECREASED (A SIGN OF DETERIORATION) IN SOUND MAIZE. PROXIMATE ANALYSES (PERCENT FIBER, ASH, PROTEIN, AND FAT) REMAINED UNCHANGED DESPITE OBSERVED DAMAGE AND MEASURED LOSS IN QUALITY. RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IS CONTINUING.