Fifty‐one samples of shelled corn were rewetted to 21% wb moisture content (MC) and evaluated for susceptibility to fungal invasion using ergosterol measurements and a test kit that measures carbon dioxide (CO2) evolution. The sample attributes measured were percent germination, electrolyte leakage after soaking in deionized water, percent fines, and percent kernel infection. The difference in ergosterol content before and after incubation at 24°C was used as the standard measure of fungal growth. Differences in CO2 evolution among the samples were consistent with expectations for fungal growth based on storage history. The coefficients of determination (r2) for the linear regression of ergosterol difference with CO2 kit readings were 0.46–0.60. All were statistically significant (α = 0.001) and r2 values were slightly greater when four high‐oil corn samples were removed. These results indicate that the CO2 test can be used to assess fungal susceptibility of rewetted shelled corn, which may also be indicative of its susceptibility before rewetting. The linear regressions of kernel attributes with ergosterol difference (48 < n < 51) that were statistically significant included percent germination, r2 = 0.49 (α = 0.001); electrolyte leakage, r2 = 0.27 (α = 0.001); and percent fines determined with a 4.76‐mm sieve, r2 = 0.12 (α = 0.05).

Insects can cause substantial damage to stored grain. In addition, consumers and therefore food processors are increasingly interested in chemical-free products. Integrated pest management (IPM) may increase farmers' profits while reducing their use of pesticides. This study uses a stochastic dynamic programming framework to model the economics of optimal insect control in corn, Zea mays L., stored on-farm with multiple controls conditional on the biophysical conditions of the grain in the bin. We find that for farmers who have a contract with a food processor, where there are quality premiums, the optimal management strategy depends on monitoring the biophysical conditions of the grain and the time period under consideration. For farmers who deliver to the commodity market, their current practices are optimal.

Long term storage of corn is becoming more common due to the recent increase in the

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