Abstract :
Globally over two billion tonnes of grains are produced annually. The grains are stored at different stages of the
grain distribution chain, in defined units such as bags, silos, warehouses, containers and even in piles on the ground. An
individual unit or a group of units can be managed as man-made ecosystems, where deterioration of the stored grain is a
result of interactions among physical, chemical, and biological factors. Accurate estimates of post-harvest losses of grains
are not available, but it can vary from 1 -2% in the developed countries, where grain is stored in well managed facilities, to
20 -50% in less developed countries, with poorly managed storage systems. Considerable knowledge has been generated to
understand the critical parameters for developing efficient grain storage systems. Through proper monitoring and management
of interactions, both biotic and abiotic in nature, stored-grains can be protected for over a long period. There is an
urgent need to synthesize the status of knowledge to provide directions for future research and development, to minimize
the post-harvest losses of grains in different regions of the world
