Title: Assessment of on-farm sorghum grain loss under farmers' traditional postharvest practices in the East Hararghe Lowlands of Ethiopia

Authors: Birhanu Atomsa Gurracho; Yetenayet Bekele Tola; Abebe Fanta Badie; Solomon Abera Habtegabriel; Sirawdink Fikreyesus Forsido

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Fadis Agricultural Research Center, Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Harar, Ethiopia ' Department of Postharvest Management, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia ' Department of Agricultural Engineering, Haramaya Institute of Technology, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia ' Department of Postharvest Technology, Haramaya Institute of Technology, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia ' Department of Postharvest Management, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia

Abstract: Assessment of on-farm sorghum grain loss under farmers' traditional postharvest practices was conducted in East Hararghe Lowlands in Ethiopia to determine grain loss magnitudes at on-field operation stages. The study used split-plots design with three sorghum varieties and three harvesting times assigned to whole plots and sub-plots, respectively. Harvesting grain loss means were varied from 2.25% to 7.33% with harvesting time. The highest grain loss was recorded at threshing stage with significant differences among the varieties ranging from minimum of 4.40% for Makko to the maximum of 8.52% for Qaqqaba. The total on-farm loss increased from 15.44% for Makko to 18.89% for Malkam harvested at first and last time, respectively. Harvesting on 10 days after days to maturity indicated reduced total on-farm loss for all varieties. On-farm sorghum grain loss causes an estimate of $545.80 million loss to the country, annually.

Keywords: assessment; harvesting; on-farm loss; postharvest; sorghum grain; threshing; traditional practices; varieties; Ethiopia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2024.138701

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2024 Vol.9 No.2, pp.167 - 188

Received: 25 Apr 2023
Accepted: 09 Feb 2024
Published online: 24 May 2024 *

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