Respiration of pulses stored under different storage conditions

•The respiration rate of all 3 pulses increased with increase in temperature.•Respiration rate had positive correlation with moisture content.•Respiration rate had negative correlation with seed germination.•Germination decreased significantly at high moisture content and temperature.•FAV increased around 2-fold with high moisture content and temperature.

Pulses are a special category crop in a cropping system as well as in human diet due to their ability to fix nitrogen during crop growth and high protein content, respectively. The post-harvest losses of pulses are about 10-30% of their production in the subtropics due to improper storage practices; hence proper storage guidelines and management protocols are needed. The respiration measurement is one way to establish a proper management system for pulses. At combinations of five moisture contents (12, 14, 16, 18 and 20%) and four temperatures (10, 20, 30 and 40 °C), the rate of respiration was determined for pinto bean, chickpea, and green lentil stored for 30 days. Respiration rates increased with increase in moisture content and temperature. Respiration rate was positively correlated with final moisture content and free fatty acid value (FAV) and negatively correlated with seed germination. This study showed that 12-14% wet basis moisture and 10-20 °C are suitable conditions to store pinto bean, chickpea and green lentil for prolonged periods.