Immediate and latent effects of drying soybeans with dehydrated air

Abstract

New grain drying techniques have been improved to reduce post-harvest losses. The electric air dehumidifier (UTA 60®) is an example; it was installed at the ELLITT Seed Company for drying soybean seeds (TEC 7849) with random sample collection (DIC). Our objective was to evaluate the immediate and latent effects of the dehumidified air on the vigour of the seeds. Our vigour analysis method was based on the Rules for Seed Analysis (RAS), and our results showed an immediate significant difference in seedling percentage, but the germination level did not have an effect at 5% (Dunnett's test). In latent effects, at 5% (Tukey test), there was a reduction in the germination percentage and emergence rate, but it was not possible link such variations to the drying process. The germination potential was classified as "highest vigour", and it was possible to conclude that dehydrating drying air with UTA constituted a method capable of maintaining seed quality and germinative vigour.