Maize crop quality of the 2009/2010 season

June 2011

JOLANDA NORTJÉ, MANAGER LABORATORY, SOUTHERN AFRICAN GRAIN LABORATORY

The thirteenth annual maize crop quality survey performed by the Southern African Grain Laboratory (SAGL) was done on 800 samples, proportionally representing white and yellow maize of each production region. These samples are composite samples representing silo bins per silo throughout the maize producing regions. There were no significant differences observed in the physical and nutritional quality of the three main maize producing provinces.

The crop was of general good quality, with 67% of the 458 white maize samples graded as WM1 and 70% of the 342 yellow maize samples graded as YM1. The percentages WM1 and YM1 grades were significantly lower than the past two seasons.

Most of the samples were downgraded due to the percentage defective kernels which consisted mainly of Diplodia infected kernels above the 6,35 mm sieve. The percentage defective kernels above the 6,35 mm sieve were 5,1 this season and 2,5 the previous season. The percentage Diplodia infected kernels ranged from 0% to 10,8% and averaged 1,6%. The percentage Fusarium infected kernels ranged from 0% to 3,7% and averaged 0,8%.

The average fat content of these crop samples was 4%, average protein 8,3% and average starch content 72,9%. The nutritional values compared well (within 0,2%) with the previous season. Yellow maize had a lower fat content (3,8%) than white maize (4,2%).

Click on   https://www.grainsa.co.za/documents/SA%20Graan%20Junie%2011_Maize%20crop%20quality.pdf  for the complete article.

Publication: June 2011

Section: Input Overview