Moisture absorption of bulk stored grain under tropical conditions

CONCLUSIONS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS: 1) THERE IS NO ADSORPTION OF MOISTURE OF PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE SURROUNDING ATMOSPHERE IN BULK STORED GRAIN, UNLESS THE MOISTURE REACHES BEYOND THE FIRST LAYERS OF KERNELS IN THE SURFACE OF THE GRAIN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOME KIND OF AIR FLOW THROUGH THE PRODUCT. 2) AIR CURRENTS ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF MOISTURE MIGRATION AND MOISTURE INTERCHANGE WITHIN THE MASS OF GRAIN. 3) STORED GRAIN REACTS RAPIDLY TO AIR CURRENTS EVEN IF SUCH CURRENTS ARE VERY LOW. CONSEQUENTLY, AN ACTIVE HEAT AND MOISTURE INTERCHANGE TAKES PLACE. 4) BY CONTROLLING AIR FLOW THROUGH GRAIN EITHER CAUSED BY NATURAL CONVENTION CURRENTS OR BY MECHANICAL AERATION, A BETTER PRODUCTION CONSERVATION CAN BE ATTAINED. 5) SPECIAL CARE HAS TO BE TAKEN IN CONTROLLING AIR FLOW IN AREAS WHERE TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDTY ARE ABOVE THAT IN EQUILIBRIUM WITH THE GRAIN IN ORDER TO AVOID INSECT INFESTATION AND FUNGI GROWTH.