Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Science (GARJAS) ISSN: 2315-5094
October 2015 Vol. 4(10): pp. 663-672
Copyright © 2015 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Descriptive Study of Maize Storage Methods (Zea Mays) Used in Rural Environment in Three Zones of Cote D’ivoire

Léonce Niamketchi^1*, Olivier Chatigre¹, Didier Amane¹, Yves Nyamien¹, Fulbert N’Tchobo¹, Pierre Ezoua¹, Désiré Kouame¹, Godi Henri Biego¹

¹Laboratory of Biochemistry and Food Science, Training and Research Unit of Biosciences, Félix HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY University of Abidjan, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.

*Corresponding author’s Email:  nbgleo@gmail.com; Tel: +22558842758

Accepted 19 October, 2015

Abstract

Descriptive surveys were conducted among 200 farmers in 17 towns and villages of 5 different localities maize production. Fundamental characteristics data such as profile of farmers, cultural practices and harvesting maize, crop varietal, types and conservation methods, causes of post-harvest losses were collected. Survey showed that maize crop was the men activity (77%) and yellow ecotype variety (95.5%) was the most widely grown, followed by the white ecotype representing 3.5% and purple maize grain, local variety of the department of Katiola representing only 1%. About cultivated areas, 63.5% of surveyed farmers grew maize on parcels of less than 1 ha, 22% on plots between 1 and 2 ha, 14% of 2 5 ha and only 0.5% on areas of more than 5 ha. Production yields were lower and vary from 1 ton to 5 ton for 63% to 3% of respondents respectively. Drying was carried out in the course of villages (82%). Maize cobs and maize with husks were dried by 47.5% of the farmers on plastic sheeting, 22.5% on wooden racks (platform 1 m above the ground), 13.5% on the cement floor and 10, 5% on the floor for a period not exceeding two weeks for 75.5% of the farmers. The study also identified 13 different types of storage and list 13 different postharvest processes storage of maize product. These methods vary from one zone to another with a predominance of polypropylene bags (26%), cylindrical clay granaries (17%), storehouse in brick or clay (15.5%), rooms of the house (corner living room or bedroom) (12%) and granaries in bamboo (11.5%). Despite this diversity of storage, all farmers across different zones identified insect infestation (38.8%), rodent (23.5%), fungal (22.3%) and termites (17.4%) attack as the main problems in their stored maize. 

Keywords:  Maize, Participatory rural survey, storage methods.