Enhancing Airtight Storage with Germinating Cowpea Seeds: Impacts on Insect Mortality, Progeny and Grain Quality.

ABSTRACT: Millions of smallholder farmers use airtight (hermetic) storage to preserve stored commodities. However, relying on biological agents (i.e., insects) to deplete residual oxygen in airtight containers can occasionally extend the process, potentially resulting in grain damage or nutrient loss. Current oxygen scavengers used to remove this residual oxygen are unavailable and unsuitable on smallholder farms in developing countries. We evaluated the effectiveness of germinating seeds for oxygen depletion. Treatments comprised 10, 20, and 30 germinating cowpea seeds in 2 L jars filled with infested cowpea grains. Insect mortality and grain quality were assessed after 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. Progeny development was monitored for 49 days post-treatment. The results showed that all germinating s

SUBMITTER: Lamsal G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10744301 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature