EFFECT OF DRY MATTER LOSS ON CORN QUALITY

Abstract

This article reports the relationship between dry matter loss (DML) and corn (Zea mays) quality as indicatedby total damaged kernels (DKT). The level of DKT for a given level of DML varied with moisture and mechanicaldamage. For a maximum acceptable DKT level of 5%, it was found that allowing corn to reach 0.5% DML resulted inunacceptable corn quality as levels of moisture and mechanical damage increased. Results indicated that the permissibleDML for 18% moisture corn was more than 1.0% for 0% mechanical kernel damage, but only about 0.25% DML for 22%moisture corn at the same level of mechanical damage. As mechanical damage increased to 30%, the permissible DMLfell to about 0.5% for 18% moisture corn and to about 0.2% for 22% moisture corn.