QUALITY MAINTENANCE and MARKETING of WHEAT STORED on FARMS and in ELEVATORS in KANSAS:

This bulletin summarizes nearly 10 years of research related to wheat stored on farms and in elevators in Kansas. It describes on-farm equipment and pest control practices and typical storage conditions that affect grain quality. The cost-effectiveness of aeration, grain protectants, and fumigation was evaluated. Grain cooling by aeration was the most effective insect-control technique and had the lowest variable cost but often was managed poorly. Automatically controlled fans increased the efficiency and convenience of aeration for insect control. Malathion protectants performed poorly. Applying Reldan (chlorpyriphos-methyl) protectant was more costly than other techniques but was generally effective. Treatment of farm-stored wheat with phosphine fumigants was shown to be often unsuccessful, and methods of making fumigation more effective in farm bins were tested. The relationships between producer, buyer, wheat quality (especially factors affected during storage), and price were investigated, and wheat marketing practices are summarized. Discounting practices at Kansas elevators appeared to provide a weak and mixed message relative to the importance of insect control in farm storage. Elevator-level storage and marketing practices also are reported. A detailed summary and recommendations for maintaining quality in farm storage are presented. An integrated program of sanitation, aeration, and monitoring is recommended.