Effect of Infrared Treatment on the Disinfestation of Black Gram Seeds (Vigna mungo) on Storage

Abstract

Effect of infrared (IR) treatment on disinfestation of black gram seeds was studied during storage. Untempered and tempered (15% moisture) seeds were IR treated at 150, 250, 350 and 450⁰C, packed in polypropylene pouches (PP), stored at ambient conditions (15-35⁰C) to check infestation periodically. During storage, seed weight and bulk density decreased significantly (p≤0.05) with the significant increase (p≤0.05) in uric acid contents in control and IR treated seeds at 150 and 250⁰C. Based on the uric acid level, control as well as IR treated seeds at 150⁰C became unfit for consumption after 3 months of storage and the seeds treated at 250⁰C after 6 months. Uric acid content remained almost unchanged in the samples treated at 350 and 450⁰C throughout the storage period. In untempered samples, IR treatment affected germination and rheology at 350⁰C, while in tempered ones germination was affected at all the temperatures of IR treatment with less rheological changes.

Keywords: Black gram, infrared, disinfestation, physico- chemical properties, rheology, germination, storage.