Kernel and bulk density changes due to moisture content, mechanical damage, and insect damage

Guo, Danping. M.S., Purdue University, May 2015. Kernel and Bulk Density Changes due to Moisture Content, Mechanical Damage, and Insect Damage. Major Professor: Klein Ileleji. Corn (Zea Mays), is one of the major grain crops in the world and moisture content, mechanical damage and insect damage are three factors that affect its quality. The primary goal of this thesis was to investigate the effects of moisture content, mechanical damage and insect damage on kernel and bulk density of corn. The study was conducted using two corn hybrids, Pioneer 1352 and Pioneer 1221, that were grown on Purdue Agronomy Farm for Research and Education (ACRE), manually picked and shelled. In Objective 1, the effect of three different moisture conditioning processes (drying from harvest moisture, rewetting from 30% to 10%, and rewetting to 30% before drying from 30% to 10%) on kernel and bulk density was investigated. In Objective 2, the effect of mechanically damaged kernels at various damage percent levels created by blending undamaged whole kernels with damaged kernels was investigated. Objective 3 investigated the effect of insect damage, both artificially simulated internal damage by drilling a hole per kernel and actual insect damage by infesting with Sitophilus zeamais (maize weevil) was investigated.