Effect of Storage Material and Location on Physicochemical Properties and Nutritional Composition of Stored Bread Wheat in Ethiopia

Abstract

Postharvest management intervention of wheat grain needs to be examined from technological quality perspectives before its introduction to end-users. Local and improved methods of grain storage cause a lot of losses in terms of physical and Physico-chemical properties. These losses could be improved by providing appropriate storage materials at all agro-ecologies. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different grain storage materials on the physical and physicochemical properties of stored wheat at different locations. The experiment included three treatments; (Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS), polypropylene bags, and Jute bags) at different agro-ecological locations; midland (Debrezeit), lowland (Werer), and highland (Kulumsa). Wheat, Lemu variety was stored in triplicate (25 Kilogram/container) for six months (December 2018 - June 2018) under normal environmental conditions in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replication times Wheat stored in Jute bag at lowland for 6 months had lower final germination percentage, lower gluten index, and higher falling number value. In addition, wheat stored at lowland in jute bag had reduced hardness index value. Meanwhile, wheat stored in a Jute bag at midland for 6 months had a lower final germination percentage, lower hectoliter weight but, insignificant change in the hardness index value. Wheat stored at low land, midland, and highland in a jute bag for 4 and 6 months had shown increment in protein content. Wheat stored at midland in jute bag and PICS for 6 months had lower hectoliter weight and flour yield percentage. Besides, wheat stored at midland in a jute bag for 4 months of storage had higher wet and dry gluten content but, lower gluten index value. This condition may pose a negative influence on the baking performance of flour from wheat stored at lowland and with traditional jut bags. From this study, it can be concluded that PICS bags at all storage sites had Significant effective storage materials to preserve wheat grains. Further investigation, however, is very important to evaluate the influence of these treatments on the end-use qualities including baking quality.