EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON DRYING CONDITIONS OF GRAIN CROPS WITH HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT IN LOW-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

During the experimental studies of drying grain crops with high moisture content in a low-pressure environment, the influence of residual pressure in a peri-seed environment and seed heating temperature on drying exposure and laboratory germination have been investigated. These experimental studies have been carried out by means of the experimental facility and its attachments that make it possible to provide residual pressure within the range of 10 - 80 kPa and seed heating temperature of +20 - +40 degrees C. Having processed the experimental data, regression equations of drying exposure and laboratory germination of grain crops with high moisture content by the example of corn seeds have been derived. The characteristic curves plotted based on the regression equations show that the minimum drying exposure and, simultaneously, the maximum laboratory germination can be achieved by applying residual pressure of 45 kPa and seed heating temperature of no more than +30 degrees C.