Timing of harvest in maize: effects on post harvest losses due to insects and fungi in central Benin, with particular reference to Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

• Published in: Agriculture, ecosystems & environment Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 233 - 242
• Main Authors: Borgemeister, C, Adda, C, Sétamou, M, Hell, K, Djomamou, B, Markham, R.H, Cardwell, K.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-07-1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aflatoxin; AFLATOXINAS; AFLATOXINE; AFLATOXINS; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; BENIN; Biological and medical sciences; Bostrichidae; DATE DE RECOLTE; FECHA DE RECOLECCION; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Harvest time; HARVESTING DATE; Invertebrates; Maize; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; MOHO; MOISISSURE; MOULDS; Pathology, epidemiology, host-fungus relationships. Damages, economic importance; PERDIDAS POSTCOSECHA; PERTE APRES RECOLTE; Pests of stored products; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; POSTHARVEST LOSSES; Prostephanus; PROSTEPHANUS TRUNCATUS; Seeds and other planting stocks; ZEA MAYS; Benin; West Africa; Africa; Harvest time; Benin; Maize; Prostephanus; Aflatoxin; Monocotyledones; Seeds; Production quality; Plant pathogen; Coleoptera; Insecta; Environmental factor; Cereal crop; Fungi; Bostrychidae; Pest; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Humidity; Thallophyta; Zea mays; Harvesting; Prostephanus truncatus; Infection; Storage; Arthropoda; Spermatophyta; Timing; Invertebrata; Maturity
• ISSN: 0167-8809; 1873-2305
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-8809(98)00109-1

A storage experiment was conducted in Banté, central Benin between autumn 1994 and spring 1995. The maize was harvested 1, 3, and 7
weeks after physiological maturity and stored for up to eight months. The main results were: (a) Leaving the maize in the field for extended periods after physiological maturity resulted in severe grain losses after eight months of storage; (b) Most of the grain losses were attributed to
Prostephanus truncatus; (c) Early harvested maize had a higher proportion of mouldy grain; (d) Harvest date had no consistent effect on the level of aflatoxin contamination; (e) Based on a participatory evaluation of maize quality by local farmers, the economic value of maize stored for eight months was highest in maize harvested three weeks after physiological maturity.