After harvest, maize grains should be further sorted to have good quality. The following process should be followed:
Selection of maize after harvest
· Select cobs of equal size with thick husks.
· Remove rotten cob and the cob which are not completely covered with husk.
· Remove the cobs with too big and too small kernels (seeds).
· Remove the kernels from the top and bottom part of a cob for selecting uniform kernels as seeds.
· Removed cobs or kernels (grain) should be used for food consumption, but not for seed.
Works after selecting grains
Cleaning grains by farmers
· Seed cleaning is very necessary for quality seed production.
· While cleaning, remove weed seeds, dust, wrinkled seeds and seeds of other crops.
Winnowing fans
- The hand-operated and power-operated winnowing fans can be used to clean threshed seeds.
- Generally, winnowing fans are available from agriculture machinery shops in urban areas.
Drying of grains
· Grains are dried out to for lowering the moisture level to keep the longevity of the seed.
· Excessive moisture in the seed may lose its viability soon and also may be attacked by fungus.
· Properly dried seeds can be stored for a long time. Hence, the seeds are dried out several times in the sun before storage. If the seeds are sufficiently dried, the kernels will make a clinking sound when crushed.
Storage of maize grains in stores
- The storage structure most protects the maize seeds from extreme heat or cold and moisture which cause microbial and fungal growth. The storage also should protect the seeds from pests and rodents which eat or damage the seeds.
- Grains should be very carefully handled, and stored without contamination from other varieties and other crop seeds.
- Grain storage refers the act of keeping the seeds safe during the storage time until the seeds are sown or marketed.
