Abstract
Handling problems at buying/drying points have significantly increased with the increased harvesting rate of the 4-, 6-, and 8-row combines. Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) can be cured and dried, stored, and moved to the shelling plant when placed in the modular container (box) at the field location. Boxes sized 1.8 m deep x 2.3 m wide x 7.3 m long will hold about 10 Mg of peanuts with two boxes making a semitrailer load. In 1995 and 1996, standard 4.3-m peanut wagons and 4.3-m boxes were used to study a) changes in peanut moisture, b) handling concerns of boxes, and c) the economic feasibility of handling peanuts in boxes. Peanut moisture content decreased from about 10.3 to 6.2% during the two storage periods of 140 and 160 d. Differences in temperature and relative humidity caused the average moisture content to decrease from 9.6 to 7.5% in 70 d during 1995 compared to a drop from 9.5 to 7.5% in 140 d during 1996. Maximum and minimum temperatures in the top 15 cm lagged behind the ambient temperature by 6.4 and 4.3 hr, respectively. Daily average temperatures and relative humidities in the paired boxes and wagons were similar. Relative humidity in the middle of the boxes and wagons did not fluctuate with ambient humidity. Transferring peanuts by an elevator failed to simulate warehouse system handling damage. The economic analysis, after adjusting for reduced shrink loss and handling loss, showed an on-farm operation cost of $19.54/yr/Mg for the box system concept compared to $19.98/yr/Mg for the current wagon-warehouse system. For a buying point operation, the cost was $9.80/yr/Mg for the box system concept compared to $9.93/yr/Mg for the wagon-warehouse system. The two systems are approximately equal in total cost.
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Keywords: Arachis hypogaea L, container, moisture content, Storage, Temperature
How to Cite:
Wright, F. & Butts, C. & Lamb, M. & Cundiff, J., (1998) “Quality and Economic Evaluation of Peanut Stored in Modular Containers¹”, Peanut Science 25(2), p.81-85. doi: https://doi.org/10.3146/i0095-3679-25-2-5