Physical characteristics of maize grain as influenced by varietal and moisture differences

Figures & data

Table 1. Initial moisture content (MCi) of five maize varieties used in the study

Maize variety	Initial moisture content (%)
Timtim (Hybrid, white color)	12.55 ± 0.04^a
Honampa (Normal, white color)	12.59 ± 0.26^a
Abontem (Hybrid, yellow color)	11.33 ± 0.09^b
Obatanpa (Normal, white color)	11.35 ± 0.09^b
Omankwa (Normal, white color)	10.98 ± 0.24^c

Mean ± standard deviation with different alphabets are significantly different at p < 0.05.

Table 2. Geometric properties of five maize varieties

Maize variety	Dg (mm)	Sphericity	Surface area (mm^2)	Projected area (m^2)
Timtim (h, w)	7.28 (0.15)^ab	0.80 (0.01)^a	167.80 (6.88)^a	66.37 (1.32)^ab
Honampa (n, w)	6.65 (0.38)^c	0.71 (0.04)^b	139.69 (15.87)^b	52.98 (8.81)^c
Abontem (h, y)	7.03 (0.11)^bc	0.78 (0.05)^ab	157.61 (4.80)^ab	59.22 (4.63)^bc
Obatanpa (n, w)	7.55 (0.19)^a	0.72 (0.07)^b	180.23 (8.83)^a	73.12 (10.78)^a
Omankwa (n, w)	7.46 (0.55)^ab	0.73 (0.05)^ab	180.29 (34.56)^a	70.25 (10.08)^ab

Dg = Geometric mean diameter, h = hybrid, n = normal, w = white color, y = yellow color. Mean ± standard deviation with different alphabets in the same column are significantly different at p < 0.05.

Table 3. Gravimetric properties of five maize varieties

Maize variety	TGW (g)	Bulk density (kg/m^3)	True density (kg/m^3)	Volume of single (m^3)	Porosity (Ɛ, %)
Timtim (h, w)	261.44 (2.37)^c	721.0 (6.83)^bc	1250^a	2.09E-7(1.90E-9)^c	42.32 (0.55)^ab
Honampa (n, w)	213.74 (7.75)^d	746.0 (9.38)^a	1250^a	1.71E-7(6.20E-9)^d	40.32 (0.75)^c
Abontem (h, y)	254.17 (3.63)^c	712.5 (5.26)^c	1250^a	2.03E-7 (2.90E-9)^c	42.20 (0.42)^b
Obatanpa (n, w)	292.89 (5.96)^a	727.5 (5.97)^b	1250^a	2.34E-7(4.77E-9)^a	40.80 (0.48)^c
Omankwa (n, w)	279.93 (5.87)^b	709.5 (11.81)^c	1250^a	2.24E-7(4.70E-9)^b	43.24 (0.95)^a

TGW (g) = Thousand Grain Weight, h = hybrid, n = normal, w = white color, y = yellow color. Mean ± standard deviation with different alphabets in the same column are significantly different at p < 0.05.

Table 4. Aerodynamic properties of five maize varieties

Maize variety	Terminal velocity (Vt, m/s)	Drag Coefficient (Cd)	Drag force (Fd, N)	Reynolds number (Re)
Timtim (h, w)	2.45 (0.33)^b	11.61 (3.12)^b	0.003 (0.0)^a	1224.40 (167.99)^bc
Honampa (n, w)	2.12 (0.07)^c	14.36 (1.31)^a	0.002 (0.0)^b	992.71 (32.54)^d
Abontem (h, y)	2.16 (0.05)^c	14.60 (0.46)^a	0.002 (0.0)^b	1083.48 (25.10)^cd
Obatanpa (n, w)	2.46 (0.20)^b	10.83 (1.77)^b	0.003 (0.0)^a	1318.65 (104.64)^b
Omankwa (n, w)	2.98 (0.20)^a	7.18 (1.05)^c	0.003 (0.0)^a	1579.2 (106.84)^a

h = hybrid, w = white color, y = yellow color. Mean ± standard deviation with different alphabets in the same column are significantly different at p < 0.05.

Table 5. Frictional properties of five maize varieties

Maize variety	Material surface	Static coefficient of friction (µ)	Static angle of repose (ϴs, ^O)	Dynamic angle of repose (ϴd, ^O)
Timtim (h, w)	Aluminum	0.306 (0.0)^efg	18.80 (0.41)^def	5.915 (0.73)^cdef
	Stainless steel	0.357 (0.01)^bc	17.11 (0.76)^h	7.20 (0.45)^bcdef
	Plywood	0.274 (0.01)^hi	20.99 (1.85)^bc	10.77 (0.77)^abcd
	Cardboard	0.237 (0.01)^j	17.94 (0.0)^efgh	11.60 (0.41)^abc
Honampa (n, w)	Aluminum	0.391 (0.02)^a	18.71 (0.05)^defg	8.02 (1.81)^abcde
	Stainless steel	0.338 (0.03)^bcd	22.11 (1.87)^b	10.56 (0.51)^abcd
	Plywood	0.281 (0.01)^gh	19.53 (0.74)^cd	13.33 (1.37)^a
	Cardboard	0.268 (0.0)^hi	23.84 (0.34)^a	8.33 (1.40)^abcde
Abontem (h, y)	Aluminum	0.364 (0.02)^b	17.57 (1.24)^fgh	8.35 (1.38)^abcde
	Stainless steel	0.319 (0.01)^def	17.94 (0.25)^efgh	6.37 (0.18)^bcdef
	Plywood	0.293 (0.04)^fgh	17.43 (0.44)^fgh	5.85 (0.37)^cdef
	Cardboard	0.331 (0.02)^cde	17.91 (0.59)^efgh	10.20 (1.79)^abcd
Obatanpa (n, w)	Aluminum	0.287 (0.0)^gh	19.87 (0.87)^cd	10.44 (0.98)^abcd
	Stainless steel	0.325 (0.0)^de	19.62 (0.31)^cd	6.55 (1.66)^bcdef
	Plywood	0.281 (0.01)^gh	19.48 (0.34)^d	11.10 (1.12)^abcd
	Cardboard	0.225 (0.01)^j	17.57 (1.89)^fgh	11.43 (1.62)^abcd
Omankwa (n, w)	Aluminum	0.325 (0.0)^de	17.40 (1.02)^fgh	4.01 (0.03)^ef
	Stainless steel	0.325 (0.0)^e	17.41 (0.72)^h	2.93 (0.98)^ef
	Plywood	0.274 (0.01)^hi	17.62 (0.43)^fgh	1.86 (1.13)^f
	Cardboard	0.249 (0.0)^ij	17.30 (0.14)^gh	1.85 (1.14)^f

h = hybrid, w = white color, y = yellow color. Mean ± standard deviation with different alphabets in the same column are significantly different at p < 0.05.

Figure 1. Geometric properties (i, ii, iii, iv) of five maize varieties at two different moisture contents. MC1 = moisture content level 1, and MC2 = moisture content level 2.

Figure 2. Gravimetric properties (i, ii, iii, iv, v) of five maize varieties at two different moisture contents. MC1 = moisture content level 1, and MC2 = moisture content level 2.

Figure 3. Aerodynamic properties (i, ii, iii, iv) of five maize varieties at two different moisture contents. MC1 = moisture content level 1, and MC2 = moisture content level 2.

Figure 4. Frictional properties (i, ii, iii) of five maize varieties at two different moisture contents. MC1 = moisture content level 1, and MC2 = moisture content level 2. the surfaces used were al = aluminum, ss = stainless steel, pl = plywood, and ca = cardboard.