Ontario Grain Farmer August 2021

20 The DON outbreak in 2018 had a widespread impact on farmers’ profitability and created challenges throughout the grain supply chain. Grain Farmers of Ontario has funded research to mitigate the impact of the next DON outbreak. Here are the findings from two recently completed projects. PROJECT 1: STORAGE FLEXIBILITY Grain bags offer Ontario farmers another way of reliably storing vomitoxin-infected corn, according to a recently concluded Grain Farmers of Ontario-funded study. Participants in the research project say bag storage is a flexible, practical alternative to trying to ship and sell high DON corn during and shortly after harvest. Despite some challenges, it is a solution they would be willing use again. Project Overview The project determined the effectiveness of grain bags at maintaining corn quality over an extended period, as well as the practicality of actually using the storage system on-farm. Several ag-businesses, as well as University of Guelph researchers, participated in the project. At four different sites between January and July 2019, the carbon dioxide levels, oxygen levels, and temperature of four large grain bags were measured on a weekly basis. Grain moisture, water activity, test weight, and mycotoxin content were measured at the beginning of the monitoring period and when the bags were emptied. General results As described by Art Schaafsma, the project’s lead researcher, temperature fluctuated in- tune with ambient exterior temperatures, and was thus not a useful metric for gauging quality in bags. Mycotoxin and moisture concentrations were similar for grain sampled at the beginning to those at the end of the period, suggesting that no spoilage occurred DON-infected corn LEARNINGS FROM TWO RESEARCH PROJECTS Matt McIntosh GRAIN BAGS OFFER ONTARIO FARMERS ANOTHER WAY OF RELIABLY STORING VOMITOXIN-INFECTED CORN, ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY. and the grain was safely stored. A steady rise in carbon dioxide, along with a steady decline in oxygen, indicated anaerobic conditions were maintained throughout. The only significant spoilage occurred when the bottom of a bag was perforated by residual crop stubble, allowing water to enter. Overall, however, such spoilage was limited to the perforated areas. In general, “The only loss in quality was a slight reduction in test weight, but this was typical for normal shrink that occurs during the same period of storage in vertical grain silos,” says Schaafsma in the project’s summary report. He concludes by saying grain bags are a useful tool to store excess grain in a crisis situation — if the grain is dried before storage, the bags have no perforations, and they are not opened before unloading. On-farm experiences Chuck Baresich and his colleagues at Haggerty Creek Ltd. were one of the companies participating in the research project. In their experience, the grain bag system was easy to set-up and operate. Placed on flattened cornstalks in the middle of a field, no spoilage due to residue or wildlife-related perforations occurred during the three-month duration in which the bag was laid. The loading and reclaiming system was itself efficient and fast. Farmers could reasonably share equipment rather than buying their own units. “It was incredibly straightforward to set up. There wasn’t a bucketful that the reclaiming system didn’t collect,” says Baresich. “We would do it again. It works in the west, so why not here?” Managing and disposing of the plastic proved to be the only major challenge at Haggerty Creek. Research