Effects of climate change on the aeration of stored beans in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

The beneficial effects of the aeration of stored grains and legumes with ambient air can be affected by changes in climate causing disorders in air temperature and relative humidity that directly affect the control strategies. The impacts of the climate change on the bean aeration in 11 mesoregions of Minas Gerais State (Brazil) were evaluated. For this, 132 simulation scenarios were analysed, including simulations of three bean harvests using measured climatic conditions, and three possible projections, representing low, intermediate and high radiative forcing levels. Based on the simulation profiles, total aeration time, grain cooling, and electrical energy consumption during bean aeration were calculated. Results were strongly affected by the weather patterns of each mesoregion and by the harvest periods of the crop. Projected climate changes tended to reduce the cooling potential, while increasing fan operation time and electrical energy requirement when aerating common beans in Minas Gerais State. The Jequitinhonha and Mucuri valleys and the North and Northwest mesoregions were predicted as no longer having suitable aeration potential since they were the most impacted by climate changes. Chilling aeration is recommended when aerating bean in these mesoregions even with the present climate and this must be intensified when considering the climate changes. In the other mesoregions, aeration with ambient air is currently suitable and this can remain viable even with the projected climate changes, but this is with the proviso that good storage practices are followed and efficient control strategies are applied. (C) 2019 IAgrE. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.