The influence of moisture content on popping traits in popcorn

Abstract

The influence of grain moisture content at harvest and at the moment of popping on popping volume and percentage of unpopped kernels was analysed. Four popcorn hybrids were studied. Hybrids were harvested when grain moisture content was: above 25%, between 20 - 25%, and below 18%. Each sample was popped at 20%, 18%, 16%, 14%, 12%, and 10% of grain moisture. All examined factors and their interactions significantly influenced both popping volume and percentage of unpopped kernels. The highest popping volume and the lowest percentage of unpopped kernels were observed at 14% grain moisture content. Hybrid ZP 608k had the highest popping volume and the lowest percentage of unpopped kernels at all treatments and overall. The lowest popping volume and the highest percentage of unpopped kernels were noticed for ZP 501k. The lowest percentage of unpopped kernels was observed in the last harvest term when grain moisture content was below 18%.

Zapremina kokičavosti je pored potencijala rodnosti najvažnija osobina hibrida kokičara. Više faktora utiče na nju: genotip, uslovi proizvodnje, dorade i čuvanja zrna, kao i metode kokanja. Maksimalan potencijal zapremine kokičavosti postiže se samo ako je hibrid dostigao punu zrelost. Ipak, najvažniji je uticaj sadržaja vlage u trenutku kokanja. Sadržaj vlage od oko 14% je optimalan i pri njemu se ostvaruju najviše zapremine kokičavosti. U radu je ispitivan uticaj sadržaja vlage u zrnu prilikom berbe i u trenutku kokanja na osobine kokičavosti: zapremina kokičavosti i procenat neiskokanog zrna. Ove osobine proučavane su na na četiri hibrida kukuruza kokičara. Hibridi su brani u tri termina pri sadržaju vlage: preko 25%, između 20 - 25%, i nižoj od 18%. Zatim je svaki od uzoraka kokan pri sadržaju vlage od 20%, 18%, 16%, 14%, 12%, i 10%. Analiza varijanse ukazala je na značajan uticaj genotipa, sadržaja vlage prilikom berbe, kao i interakcija na zapreminu kokičavosti i procenat neiskokanog zrna. Najviša zapremina kokičavosti ostvarena je pri sadržaju vlage od 14%, a takođe pri ovom sadržaju vlage najmanji je bio i procenat neiskokanog zrna. Hibrid ZP 608k je imao najvišu zapreminu kokičavosti i najmanji procenat neiskokanog zrna, kako u proseku svih tretmana, tako i po proučavanim tretmanima, dok je najamnju zapreminu kokičavosti i najveći procenat neiskokanog zrna imao hibrid ZP 501k. Najmanji procenat neiskokanog zrna utvrđen je u zadnjem terminu berbe, kada je sadržaj vlage u zrnu bio ispod 18%.