Starch Yield Sensitivity of Maize Hybrids to Drying Temperature and Harvest Moisture Content

Nine maize hybrids from the 1994 crop, representing the range of hybrids grown in the U.S. central corn belt, were harvested at high (33–35%) and low (21–22%) moisture contents and laboratory dried at either ambient temperature (about 25°C) or 110°C. Similarly, nine maize hybrids from the 1995 crop were harvested at two different moisture contents and dried using either ambient temperature or 80°C. Both sets of samples were wet-milled using a 100 g laboratory procedure. Significant differences were observed between hybrids as to the effect of drying air temperature and harvest moisture content on wet-milling yields. Eight of the 9 hybrids dried at 110°C and harvested at high moisture contents showed significantly lower starch yields (by 7.2–15.1%) when compared to starch yields of the same hybrids dried at 110°C and harvested at low moisture contents. Results also indicated that there is a hybrid-dependent effect of high-temperature drying and harvest moisture content at 80°C drying air temperature. Starch yields of some hybrids harvested at low moisture contents are negatively affected if dried at 80°C. However, there were mixed results on starch yields if the hybrids were harvested at high moisture contents and dried at 80°C.