As outdoor temperatures warm during spring and early summer, there is an increasing potential for grain-storage problems and an increasing need for grain monitoring and management, says Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University-Extension agricultural engineer and grain-drying expert.
“The stored grain temperature increases in parts of a bin in the spring due to solar heat gain on the bin,” he said.
Solar energy produces more than twice as much heat gain on the south wall of a bin in spring as it does during the summer. That, in addition to the solar heat gain on a bin roof, can create an environment conducive to grain spoilage. A 10-degree temperature increase reduces the allowable storage time of grain by about half. The storage time of corn at 17 percent moisture is reduced from about 130 days at 50 degrees Fahrenheit to about 75 days at 60 degrees and 45 days at 70 degrees.
Hellevang recommends periodically running aeration fans during the spring to keep the grain at less than 40 degrees as long as possible during spring and early summer if the grain is dry. In northern states, night air temperatures are normally near or less than 30 degrees in April and 40 degrees in May.
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