Effect of metconazole treatment and seed drying method on the production of adlay sprouts

The functional food market using sprouts has been growing, and sprouts from adlay seeds have high level of antioxidant activity to have potential value. However, a toxin produced by a Fusarium fungi has been detected in some adlay seeds after harvest. A fungicide was sprayed to reduce mycotoxins in adlay, and harmful factors were identified from the harvested seeds and sprouts, and drying conditions for seeds grown for sprout production were studied. Metconazole suspension concentrate was sprayed three times at 10-day intervals after flowering, and toxins in the sprouts were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After harvesting, the seeds were dried under natural and warm air drying conditions, then sprouts were produced and the yields were compared. As a result, toxins were detected below the permissible level in foods of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and therefore proved to be safe. Depending on the drying conditions, drying after warm air (25℃) seed treatment significantly increased the length and fresh weight of sprouts. Therefore, adlay sprouts can be safe from mycotoxins, and sprout growth and yield have been shown to be excellent when seeds were dried in the sun or semi-shade after warm air treatment.