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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Structure and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172874
Title: WHAT IS THE ROLE OF VARIETY AND AREA OF GROWTH IN FIBER MOISTURE PROFILE

Author
item Rousselle, Marie
item Thibodeaux, Devron

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2004
Publication Date: 1/4/2005
Citation: Rousselle, M.A., Thibodeaux, D.P. What is the role of variety and area of growth in fiber moisture profile. Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences. 2005. p. 2701-2705.

Interpretive Summary: The price of a bale of cotton is determined partly by the length and strength of the fibers. Length and strength are measured at a standard relative humidity, since the properties are influenced by the moisture content of the fibers, The ease with which cotton can be spun into yarns in textile mills, and the quality of the yarns produced, is also affected by moisture content of fibers. The moisture content of fibers at any humidity depends on whether the fibers were previously at a humidity that is higher or lower than the humidity used for tesing and processing. Little is known about how fibers'response to moisture depends on the variety of the cotton, or the environmental conditions where it is grown. SRRC is participating in a multi-year study of selected varieties of cotton grown in Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi to etermine the suitabiltiy of new varieties for high-speed processing in textile mills. We have measured the moisture absorbed by cotton at 65% relative humidity, and the water retained cotton fibers from that study after boiling, soaking, and centrifuging, and compared those values to various measurements of maturity. These data will help researchers better understand how different varieties of cotton, grown in different areas, differ in moisture content of the fibers and in their performance in modern texile mills.

Technical Abstract: Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC) is participating in a multi-year area-of-growth study of selected cotton cultivars. We previously reported preliminary moisture data (water of imbibition) on the cottons from the 2001 crop year and compared them to maturity properties determined by image analysis and to micronaire. We now report moisture data (water of imbibition and moisture regain) on cottons from both 2001 and 2002, comparing the moisture properties to maturity and micronaire. Based on two years of cotton samples, there are indications that area of growth has a larger influence on water of imbibition and moisture regain of the fibers than does variety. This influence of area of growth on moisture properties was via consistent differences in micronaire and maturity of cottons between the three states in this study.