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Goal. To establish the features and technological indicators of energy-saving drying of corn seeds using vegetable (organic) fuel, to find out how this process influences the quality of the seeds, in particular during its further storage. Methods. Laboratory — to determine the indicators of drying and quality of seeds (weight and specific gravity of seeds, thermal cracking, resistance to mechanical stress, germination, growth strength); field — to study the sowing and yield properties of corn hybrids; mathematical-statistical — to assess the reliability of the obtained data. Results. The regularities of the energy-saving drying process and its main technical and technological indicators were revealed, such as the productivity of the SKP-type dryer chamber, its seasonal capacity, the specific consumption of fuel (corn cobs), and electricity per 1 t-% of moisture evaporation. The parameters at which energy-saving drying takes place in a mild temperature and ventilation mode were determined — thermal cracking lower than 30% and increased seed resistance to injury. Compared to other methods, energy-saving drying improved the sowing and yield properties of seeds — their germination, growth strength, and yield capacity. For the first time, a positive and stimulating effect of energy-saving drying on the duration of seed storage was revealed. Conclusions. To reduce energy consumption, completely replace traditional types of fuel with vegetable ones, and obtain high-quality corn seeds suitable for long-term storage, drying is recommended to be carried out using a mild temperature and ventilation regime, namely at a coolant temperature of 36 – 42°C, its relative humidity 11 – 12% and exposure, which depends on the moisture content of the grain. The soft mode is primarily recommended for drying seeds with high moisture content and those damaged by frost.
Kyrpa et al. (Thu,) studied this question.