Storage and quality of landrace cowpea grains stored in silo bags1

ABSTRACT Storage is one of the main stages during grain production. The present study was conducted to evaluate the use of silo bags as an alternative for storing landrace cowpea grains. The experiment used samples of the Arigozinho, Manteiguinha, and Quarentão cowpea varieties from Cruzeiro do Sul - Acre, harvested in the 2021 crop season. The samples (500 g) were stored in raffia and silo bags for 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. The experimental design was completely randomized, arranged in a split-plot-in-time scheme (2 × 5) with four replicates. Storage conditions represented the plots: silo bags and raffia bags. The subplots comprised five storage conditions: 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days for each landrace cowpea variety. The insect species identified in all varieties was Zabrotes subfasciatus, with infestation ranging from 49% to 98% in raffia bags and less than 10% in silo bags over 120 days. A depreciation in grain quality was observed during storage in raffia bags. There was increase in electrical conductivity, fluctuations in water content, and reductions in bulk density and germination due to the higher degree of infestation in all the investigated varieties. The grains stored in silo bags showed minimal variations over the 120 days, maintaining their initial quality throughout the storage period. The bag silo storage system is an effective alternative for controlling Z. subfasciatus and maintaining the grain quality of the varieties Arigozinho, Manteiguinha, and Quarentão for a period of up to 120 days. RESUMO O armazenamento é uma etapa crucial durante a produção de grãos. Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o uso de silo bolsa como alternativa no armazenamento de grãos crioulos de feijão-caupi. Para o estudo utilizou-se amostras de feijão-caupi, das variedades Arigozinho, Manteiguinha e Quarentão, procedentes do município de Cruzeiro do Sul - Acre, safra 2021. As amostras de 500 g foram armazenadas em silos bolsa e sacos de ráfia, durante 30, 60, 90, 120 dias. O experimento foi inteiramente casualizado, com parcelas subdivididas no tempo (2 × 5), com quatro repetições. As parcelas foram as condições de armazenamento: silo bolsa e sacos de ráfia, e as subparcelas, os períodos de armazenamento: 0, 30, 60, 90 e 120 dias para cada variedade crioula de feijão-caupi. Zabrotes subfasciatus foi identificado em todas as variedades, com infestações de 49 a 98% em sacos de ráfia e inferiores a 10% em silo bolsa ao longo de 120 dias. Foi observ