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Photoelectric System for Measuring Mechanical Damage of Corn

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Transactions of the ASAE. 20 (5): 0972-0975. (doi: 10.13031/2013.35685) @1977
Authors:   G. D. Christenbury, W. F. Buehele
Keywords:   

ABSTRACT A method of quantifying the degree of mechanical injury in a sample of grain was developed by Christenbury (1975). This method for measuring me-chanical damage to kernels, such as corn, included applying a reacting solution to a sample of grain. The solution selectively reacts with the damaged por-tions of the grain; viz. the internal protein exposed when the outer shell is penetrated or breached. The reacting solution formed fluorescing bonds with pro-tein. Excess solution was washed off and the kernels were dried for convenience of handling. The dried corn was ground to a uniform fineness and spread over a predetermined area. The sample was exposed to ultra-violet light and induced fluorescence was measured. What was inherently a three-dimensional or volume phenomenon (damage) was transposed to a two-dimensional or area measurement. The output of the measuring system was linearly related to, and thus a measure of, the mechanical damage of the sample.

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