Keeping Wheat Safe Through an Australian Summer

Wheat harvest in Australia lands in the hottest part of the year. Grain comes off the header warm, goes into silos warm, and then sits through weeks of hot days. Without a plan, that’s the perfect setting for insects and quality loss.

The problem with summer storage

• Harvest heat. Grain often goes into the silo in the 30s °C — ideal temperatures for stored-grain insects.
• Heat holds. Grain insulates so well that a silo of warm wheat can stay warm for weeks without aeration.
• Hot days, warm nights. Summer gives you fewer hours of genuinely cool air than autumn.
• Sun on the walls. The sunny side of a silo heats the grain next to it.

Step 1: Get field heat out early

The first few days matter most. A dedicated aeration run straight after filling — moving air through the grain regardless of the exact weather — pushes harvest heat out and brings the grain toward outside night-time temperatures. Even getting from the mid-30s to the mid-20s slows insects considerably.

Step 2: Cool on the best air

After the initial run, be selective. In summer, the coolest air is usually in the late night and early morning. Run fans when the air is meaningfully cooler than the grain, and avoid:

• Hot afternoon air, which warms grain and dries it.
• Very humid air from storms or sea breezes, which can add moisture to the top layer.

Your summer limits will be wider than winter’s — you’ll accept warmer air because the grain is warmer too — but the principle is the same.

Step 3: Hold your moisture

Wheat at the 12.5% receival limit has little headroom. Running fans for long hours on dry summer air can strip moisture and cost you tonnage; running on humid air can push the top layer over the limit. Set humidity limits that protect both.

Step 4: Watch the top and the sunny side

The top of the silo is the last to cool and the first to take on moisture. The sunny wall can run several degrees warmer than the core. Sensors at multiple levels show whether the whole silo is cooling, not just the bottom.

Step 5: Plan for delivery

If wheat will be delivered within weeks, the aim is to hold grade: keep it cool enough to stop insects building and dry enough to meet receival. If it will sit into autumn, keep cooling as nights get cooler, then move to low-intensity maintenance once the grain is cool through.

How SiloSense helps

Aeration Manager is built for exactly this season:

• Forced Run pushes field heat out of new grain — 10 hours by default, or anything from 1 to 24 hours.
• Automatic then runs fans only when outside temperature and humidity are within your summer limits.
• Auto Protect takes over for long-term storage once the grain is cool.

With SiloSense IQ sensors in the grain, you can see the cooling front move up the silo and know when it’s safe to step down.

Request a demo before next harvest.