Stored grain is not inert, it keeps respiring. Temperature and humidity determine the speed of that process and the risk of fungal growth. Understanding what to monitor is the first step to reducing losses.
Why temperature and humidity are the most critical factors
Stored grain keeps respiring. The higher the temperature and the moisture content, the more intense that respiration, and the greater the risk of fungal growth and mycotoxin generation.
According to EMBRAPA, with grain moisture at 15% and a storage temperature of 35 °C, the loss of dry matter can reach 5.4 tonnes per 1,000 tonnes of grain in just one month.
Grain moisture and relative air humidity are different quantities. The environmental sensor measures the relative humidity of the air inside the storage environment, not the internal moisture of the grain, which requires direct measurement. Even so, high relative humidity in the environment favours moisture absorption by the grain over time.
Temperature gradient and the timing of aeration
EMBRAPA recommends starting cooling aeration whenever the temperature gradient between the stored grain and the outside environment exceeds 5 °C. Without timely data, this intervention window often goes unnoticed, especially overnight or on weekends.
Continuous monitoring identifies that moment accurately, without relying on periodic manual inspection.
What environmental monitoring delivers
With sensors installed at the critical points of the storage environment, it is possible to:
- Detect rises in temperature and humidity before they damage the product
- Identify the right moment for aeration based on real data
- Generate an auditable history per batch, useful for crop insurance and traceability
- Receive immediate alerts when parameters move out of the configured range
Important limitations
Environmental monitoring of temperature and relative air humidity is a risk-indication tool, not a direct measurement of the grain. To determine grain moisture content accurately, dedicated meters (moisture analysers) that read directly on the product are required. The two methods complement each other rather than replace one another.
See how PLEXOR supports monitoring in agricultural production and storage environments.
Sensor with an external PT100 probe that can be positioned at the critical point, ideal for warehouses and grain storage environments.
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