Study of the Effect of Storage Method on Quality of Maize Grain in Benue State

Post-harvest grain storage losses in maize are a significant food security challenge in North Central Nigeria, where inadequate storage facilities expose grain to insect pests, mycotoxins, and moisture, and evaluating affordable storage methods accessible to smallholder farmers is an important practical research contribution. This study assessed the effect of four storage methods (traditional mud silo, hermetic bag, polypropylene sack with metal drum, and open sack control) on maize grain quality parameters over a 6-month storage period in Otukpo, Benue State. A completely randomised design with three replications per storage treatment was used, loading maize of known initial moisture content (12.8 percent) into each storage unit. Grain moisture content, germination percentage, weevil infestation level, aflatoxin content (ELISA method), and percent damaged grain were assessed monthly for 6 months. Results showed that hermetic bag storage best maintained grain quality, with moisture content below 13.5 percent throughout, zero weevil emergence, and aflatoxin below 4 parts per billion at 6 months. The open sack control showed 47.3 percent grain damage and aflatoxin levels of 34.8 ppb, exceeding the NAFDAC 10 ppb limit. The mud silo performed comparably to hermetic bags for moisture retention but showed moderate weevil activity. The study recommends hermetic storage bags as a cost-effective grain quality preservation tool for Benue State maize farmers and supports USAID post-harvest programme bag distribution initiatives.

Keywords: maize storage, hermetic bags, grain quality, aflatoxin, Benue State