A STUDY OF THE RESPIRATION AND HEATING OF DAMP WHEAT

Abstract

Respiration and heating studies were made on hard red spring wheat.Estimation of the true respiration of hard red spring wheat is complicated by the respiration of fungi which develop on damp wheat. The germination and growth of fungi can be controlled effectively by toluene or carbon tetrachloride vapor. In the presence of vapor of these substances carbon dioxide production goes on at a low rate and no heating occurs in wheat of 25% moisture content. The odor of the vapor disappears in the course of air-drying.Exposure of damp wheat to carbon tetrachloride for 25 days produced no deleterious effect on the quality.