Hermetic storage technologies reduce maize pest damage in smallholder farming systems in Mexico

In Mexico, smallholder farmers use a variety of technologies to store their maize grain for several months, which may result in high losses in quantity and quality of grain. This paper evaluates ten grain storage technologies for maize across agroecological zones and reveals that the use of hermetic silos and hermetic bags minimize losses regardless of storage conditions. Additionally, plastic barrels and plastic bottles are effective low-cost storage alternatives. Non-hermetic technologies failed to reduce losses in tropical conditions. With adequate technical support for their appropriate use, hermetic technologies have the potential to reduce grain losses during storage and strengthen food security in Mexico and Latin American countries with similar conditions.