Stress Cracking and Breakage Susceptibility as Affected by Moisture Content at Harvest for Four Yellow Dent Corn Hybrids

Authors

Curtis Weller, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
M. R. Paulsen, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
M. P. Steinberg, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Date of this Version

5-1990

Comments

Published in TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASAE VOL. 33(3): MAY-JUNE 1990, pp. 863-869. Copyright 1990 ASAE. Used by permission.

Abstract

Four hybrids of yellow dent com were harvested at three levels of moisture content. After drying, samples were analyzed for stress cracking and susceptibility to breakage in Wisconsin (WBT) and Stein (SBT) breakage testers. Significant differences in stress cracking and breakage susceptibility as determined with the WBT and the SBT were observed among the four hybrids. Breakage susceptibility as measured with the WBT and SBT significantly increased as the harvest moisture increased. Stress cracks increased significantly as harvest moisture increased within the drying air temperatures of 49, 71, and 93° C. WBT breakage susceptibility significantly increased as drying air temperature increased. Stress cracking was more highly correlated with WBT breakage than with SBT breakage.