—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 10,1979
118
Crop basics, grain drying
By JOYCE BUPP
YORK - Sulfur emissions
were a prime target of en
vironmentalists ~ who
spearheaded efforts to dean
up air polluting industrial
smokestacks. But while
humans are undeniably
happier with clean air, area
com fields may be suffering
from the lack of sulfur
fallout according to Joe
McGahen, Penn State com
specialist who dealt'with
basic cropping practices
during the York County com
clinic.
Just one of several trace
minerals now being closely
scrutinized by com scien
tists, sulfur deficiency
shared the spotlight with soil
toxic reactions. At - least
three minerals appear to
have toxic potential when
soC add becomes too strong.
Iron, manganese and
aluminum, contained in soils
in minute amounts,' nor
mally pose no problem to
com plants when proper
acidity levels are main
tained.
The trend toward no-till
and minimum tillage allows
large quantities of crop trash
to remain on surfaces,
building up soil acidity as it
decomposes. McGahen
recommends the addition of
a ton of lime every other
year to maintain proper soil
f*h levels to prevent toxic
reaction, especially in no-till
acres.
Agriculture engineer Joe
McCurdy, also of Penn State,
briefed the 250 corn growers
on energy savings grain
drying techniques. He
outlined his studies with
several suggestions on
saving fuel and money.
Select suitable hybrids,
with varieties tha'. give
maximum yields while
maintaining good field
drying qualities.
Don’t overdry. McCurdy
figures that each per cent of
overdrying robs one bushel
from every 85 dried. Hold
com at 15 per cent if storing
until Spring, but lower to 14
per cent for year round
storage. If the grain is
trashy, lower yet another
percent
Consider dryeration, a
three-speed process.
Dryeration utilizes a high
speed drying unit, with com
then moved to a holding bin
for cooling with night time
temperatures, and then
moved again to a cooler
holding area with aeration.
Total fuel savings may be up
to 20 per cen t.
Combination drying, a
process which may save up
to 32 per Cent in fuel over
drying straight down to
storage , moisture levels.
Com is heat dried from 28
per cent down to 20 per cent
and air dried then to desired
storage moisture.
Service dryer and controls
regularly, with ’ annual
checkups. Humidistats must
be monitored closely, since
they are often regulated by
the sensitivity' of a single
human hair. 'McCurdy
warned that lowering
thermostats for fuel ef
ficiency usually does just the
opposite.
Drying batches should be
kept shallow. If moisture is
below 25 per cent, a four-foot
depth is acceptable; if
moisture is over 25 per cent,
grain depth should not ex
ceed two ancLa half feet
With a .stirring device, a
depth of six to nine feet is
adequate and batch drying
can be done at four to six foot
depths.
Aerate to v cool com in'
below 40-degree F storage.
Most com goes into storage
at about 70 degrees _F,
requiring up to 200 cooling
hours for every ten'degrees
lowered. Storage tem
peratures can' be monitored
by checking vented air with
a thermometer.
techniques outlined
Storage areas -should be
checked regularly,
preferably once weekly*
“Sniffing” helps detect
spoilage problems - which
often appear -ai top center
spoilage, molding or
crusting over.
McCurdy emphasized that
utmost safety precautions
should foe - taken when
spoilage of any kind
develops in stored grain. The
mold and fungus spores
present can be very toxic
when breathed and a
respirator is a must when'
working with affected
grains. - '
Nor should bins ever be
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entered or approached when
an augur is operating within
the storage area.
“Twenty seconds under a
pile of flowing grain" and
Questionnaires mailed
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Congressman Bob Walker
recently the
mailing of his 1979 con
stituent questionnaire. The
nine question self-mailer will
begin arriving in Lancaster,'
Lebanon and Chester
Counties by mid-February.
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As he did with his first
questionnaire, Walker said
he is using a format designed
to allow respondents to
qualify their opinions rather
than providing' for only
“completely agree” or
“completely disagree”
answers.
- T -
you’re a statistic, because
flowing grain is a-quicksand
that you can’t escape
withoilt help,” the ag
engineer warned as a final
safety reminder.