This research was aimed at evaluating the effect of the relationship intermittence and the temperature of the drying air on the physiological and technological quality of oat grains stored in a conventional system for 12 months. Oat, UPF 18 cultivar, harvest in 2002/2003 was submitted to drying at three temperatures (65°C, 85°C, 110°C) and three intermittent relations (1:2,5, 1:3,7, 1:5), following a central composite design. After the treatments, it was evaluated the centesimal chemical composition, moisture and fungi contamination of oat grains. The results were analysed through analysis of variance and polynomial regression. The intermittent drying with air temperature until 65°C is an efficient method in preserving the biological parameters of the white oat grains. Although it reduces the fungi contamination occurrence, the mass grain temperature over 45°C during the drying reduces the quality of oat grains.
Avena sativa L; drying; storage; fungi
