377 Measuring extractable starch in corn with NIT.

M. R. PAULSEN (1), S. W. MBUVI (2), B. YE (3), N. SAKER (3), A. HAKEN (3), and S. R. ECKHOFF (3). (1) Agricultural Engineering Dept., 1304 W. Pennsylvania, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801; (2) Identity Preserved Grain Lab, Champaign, IL 61826; (3) Agricultural Engineering Dept., University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.

Measurement of extractable starch in corn is important for corn being used for wet milling. Extractable starch is influenced by variety, drying conditions, and environmental growing conditions. Ability to measure and select corn with higher levels of extractable starch can be worth 4 to 6 cents per bushel for each one percentage point increase in extractable starch. A Foss Infratec 1229 near infrared transmittance unit was used to scan over 700 samples of corn representing a wide range of drying conditions, varieties and growing environments. Present calibrations indicate a standard error of cross validation in the 1.2 to 1.3 percentage point range. Work is underway for commercial wet milling use.