Studying and modeling of hydration kinetics in chickpea seeds (Cicer arietinum L.).

Abstract

Standard models were used in several experiments in order to predict the moisture ratio of three major varieties of chickpea (‘Desi’, ‘small Kabuli’ and ‘large Kabuli’) cultivated in Iran. The experiments were carried out using distilled water at three temperatures (5, 25 and 45°C) in three replications. The amount of water absorption by seeds were calculated through measuring the increase in the mass of soaked seeds versus time. Fourteen standard models of water absorption were fitted to the experimental data. Coefficient of determination ( R2), chi-square ( x2) and root mean square error ( RMSE ) were used to evaluate the models. The appropriate model was chosen based on maximum value of coefficient of determination and minimum value of chi-square and root mean square error. The effective moisture diffusivity coefficient of three varieties in each temperature were determined according to Fick’s equation. The result indicated that Binomial model is the most appropriate model for all studied varieties in three experimental temperatures in order to predict moisture ratio changes versus time in soaking. The plotted curves of water absorption of three varieties of chickpea indicated that moisture ratio decreases as temperature increases. Besides that, the effective moisture diffusivity coefficient of the three studied varieties showed an increasing trend by temperature increment from 5 to 45°C.