Genomics and Applied Biology 2026, Vol.17, No.1, 16-25 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/gab 16 Research Insight Open Access Analysis of Quality Differences between Natural Sun-drying and Mechanical Drying of Rice under Farmer Conditions JieXu1,2 1 Huangcunqiao Village Committee, Jiangjia Town, Chun'an County, Chun'an 311722, Zhejiang, China 2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: 734746965@qq.com Genomics and Applied Biology, 2026, Vol.17, No.1 doi: 10.5376/gab.2026.17.0002 Received: 18 Dec., 2025 Accepted: 20 Jan., 2026 Published: 16 Feb., 2026 Copyright © 2026 Xu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Xu J., 2026, Analysis of quality differences between natural sun-drying and mechanical drying of rice under farmer conditions, Genomics and Applied Biology, 17(1): 16-25 (doi: 10.5376/gab.2026.17.0002) Abstract After the rice is harvested, reducing its moisture content has always been a problem that farmers cannot avoid. The common methods are spreading it out to dry in the sun or using a dryer. Both methods have their own drawbacks: when the weather is good, sun-drying saves electricity and money, but in case of rain or overcast days, the risk of moisture return and mold increases, and the quality is not very stable. In contrast, mechanical drying is faster and more uniform in removing moisture, resulting in a higher proportion of whole grains, less broken grains, and better stickiness and elasticity of the cooked rice. However, excessive high temperatures should not be pursued as it may increase the fatty acid value and affect the taste. From a cost perspective, although mechanical drying is more efficient, it consumes more energy, and may not be cost-effective for small-scale farmers. In practice, it is necessary to consider one's own conditions, avoid overly high temperatures, and frequently turn the rice when sun-drying to ensure both efficiency and quality. Keywords Rice drying; Natural sun-drying; Mechanical drying; Quality evaluation; Sensory quality 1 Introduction When it comes to food crops, rice has always held a significant position in China. However, after the rice is harvested, it is not just a matter of storing it in the barn. If the moisture content is not reduced, there will be many problems later on (Zhou et al., 2019). In the past, in many places, the rice was spread out in the fields to dry slowly, relying on the sun and wind to remove the moisture. This method was simple and required little investment. But in recent years, with the increase in agricultural machinery and the more centralized circulation of grain, mechanical drying has gradually become popular (Li et al., 2021). When comparing the two methods, their effects are not the same, and their impacts on the quality of rice are also different. Many farmers are hesitant in actual production as to whether to continue sun-drying or use a dryer. Many studies have pointed out that mechanical drying has an advantage in efficiency, and the dehydration process is relatively uniform (Zhang et al., 2018). The whole grain rate is often higher, and the occurrence of mold and cracked grains is less. On the contrary, sun-drying has low investment and simple operation, but it is easily affected by weather changes, with uneven moisture content and unstable quality. Some people compare sun-drying, air-drying and mechanical drying together, and the results generally favor mechanical drying (Liu et al., 2022). However, most of these studies focus on only one or two indicators, and pay insufficient attention to the physical condition, physicochemical changes and eating quality of rice, so the overall evaluation is still insufficient. This study focused on two common practices of farmers - sun drying and mechanical drying, and the conditions were designed to be as close to actual production as possible. Besides observing the intuitive indicators such as moisture content, whole polished rice rate, and broken rice rate, the study also measured the physical and chemical changes such as starch, protein, and fatty acids, and compared the texture of the cooked rice. By comparing from multiple aspects, it was not only to distinguish the superiority but also to clarify under what conditions it would be more appropriate. At the same time, the cost and ease of use were also taken into
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