Scientists of the Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which is a member of the Yenisei Siberia Research Center, have developed and patented new effective sorbents for contact drying of agricultural seeds. This technology allows you to achieve the moisture content required for storage, as well as increase the percentage of germination of seeds compared to the traditional thermal drying method.
One of the indicators of the quality of grain and seeds of agricultural crops is humidity. Sawdust, dry grain, granular silica gel, sodium sulfate, and clay minerals were previously used as desiccants. Krasnoyarsk scientists have developed new composite sorbents and for the first time proposed the use of magnesium sulfate, in particular, one of its most stable natural forms — kieserite. It is characterized by neutrality, high moisture absorption rate and large capacity, low regeneration temperature. In addition, magnesium sulfate is a cheap, non-toxic and widely used fertilizer for agriculture.
“Reducing grain losses while maintaining seed viability is an important task. Our sorbents represent a new level of composite materials with improved performance characteristics. The spherical shape of the matrix prevents mechanical damage to the seeds, which open access for microorganisms and promote their active reproduction at high humidity. Our results can serve as a basis for the development of effective technologies for contact drying of agricultural seeds that do not tolerate thermal effects or lose valuable properties when heated,” said Elena Fomenko, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology SB RAS.
The effect of the developed sorbents was tested on wheat seeds grown in the Mikhailovskoye Experimental Production Facility. The results of the study showed that after four hours of drying, the moisture content of wheat reached the recommended values for safe storage of seeds. It is important that the drying time was significantly shorter compared to other known sorbents, the use of which involves drying from 12 hours to several days.
For reference
The world-class scientific and educational Center (REC) “Yenisei Siberia” was established in 2019. It is an interregional association initiated by the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republics of Khakassia and Tyva. The participants of the REC include 28 scientific and educational organizations and enterprises of the real sector of the economy. During its work, the scientific and educational center “Yenisei Siberia” has formed more than 50 comprehensive projects for the development of new technologies, bringing together the leading scientific, educational and industrial organizations of the region and the country.
Source: FITZ KSC CO RAS