Assesment of the performance of sun drying of maize grains on perforated surfaces

Abstract

Sun drying of maize grains on different mesh sizes of perforated trays using different heights from the ground was investigated. The mesh sizes used were 1.5 mm and 3 mm at the elevations of 30, 60 and 90 cm. The results show that both mesh size and height from the ground affect the drying rate and seed viability. The combination of 90 cm elevation and 3mm mesh size gave the highest drying rates and lowest seed viability loss.

Keywords: Sun drying, perforations, height from ground, maize

Tanzania J. Agric. Sc. (1998) Vol.1 No.2, 195-197