Carbon Dioxide Levels in Wheat Storage across Varied Environmental Conditions

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a crucial global cereal, faces challenges in post-harvest storage due to decay and declining nutritional value, exacerbated by environmental fluctuations. With increasing demand for wheat-derived products and uncertain agricultural impacts of environmental shifts, these challenges become pressing. Heat generated by pests and microorganisms in stored grain leads to localized temperature increases, indicating compromised grain quality. Traditional monitoring methods involve temperature cables and destructive moisture content measurements. However, sensors must be placed close to temperature variations, limiting detection range and risking quality degradation and economic losses. Recent research highlights elevated carbon dioxide levels in stored grain as an additional quality indicator. Comparing carbon dioxide concentrations in grain to ambient air levels, typically below 400 ppm, can assess quality decline. Carbon dioxide diffusion in wheat grain exceeds that of heat, suggesting carbon dioxide sensing offers heightened sensitivity. This study focuses on using carbon dioxide sensors to monitor fluctuations in a specific Korean wheat cultivar within laboratory-scale storage conditions. Research covers various temperatures to understand carbon dioxide's role as an indicator of quality decline, aiding effective grain storage management.