Prediction model for moisture determination of Indian wheat based on electrical properties variations

Abstract

Introduction Measurement of moisture is an important aspect in harvesting, drying, storing and processing of grains. Objective The objective of this study was to develop a new method for the moisture measurement of Triticum aestivum, a cultivar of Indian wheat grain, by using measurements obtained by electrical spectroscopy. Methods The relationship between electrical properties of Indian wheat and moisture content, with range 7.96% to 31.58%, was investigated within frequency range of 1 KHz to 1 MHz. An investigation of the effect of frequency characteristics on moisture content was performed and the best frequency was chosen for further investigations. Partial least square regression technique was
applied to illustrate the dependence of electrical properties viz. capacitance, impedance, and dissipation factor on frequency and moisture content. Results Moisture prediction model using these properties was developed and it was observed that the new method increased accuracy of moisture measurement as compared with that obtained using a single parameter. The experimental samples were divided into three classes – low, medium and high moisture, and samples were reanalyzed to investigate range-specific precision of selected frequency. Conclusion The developed model can estimate the moisture content within performance expected from a commercial moisture meter.