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Fumigation of agricultural products. XII. —sorption of methyl bromide on groundnuts
Author(s) -
Somade H. M. B.
Publication year - 1955
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740061210
Subject(s) - fumigation , radicle , sorption , husk , germination , moisture , bromide , water content , chemistry , cotyledon , agronomy , equilibrium moisture content , horticulture , botany , biology , organic chemistry , geotechnical engineering , adsorption , engineering
Groundnuts, both undecorticated and separated into husk, cotyledon and germ, have been fumigated with methyl bromide. The sorption of the fumigant increases in all cases with the moisture content. Sorption is disproportionately greater as dosage increases, for cotyledons and germ, but not for husks. Over a wide range of relative humidities, the equilibrium moisture content of the husk is greater than, and that of the cotyledons less than, the moisture content of the germ. Field trials in England and in Nigeria have confirmed that under normal conditions groundnuts are unharmed by methyl bromide fumigation. Fungal attack is suppressed and early development mildly stimulated by the treatment. High doses of methyl bromide will impair the germination of groundnuts of too high a moisture content. The tip of the radicle is destroyed, but there is no evidence of combination of the gas with any major constituent of the seed.