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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #144353
Title: MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF STORED COTTON BALES THAT HAD BEEN BALED AT DIFFERENT MOISTURE LEVELS

Author
item Chun, David
item McAlister Iii, David
item COBB, DEAN - ITT

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2004
Publication Date: 1/1/2005
Citation: Chun, D.T.W., McAlister, D. D., Cobb, D. R. 2005. Microbial activity of stored cotton bales with ambient and moderate moisture levels. Journal of Cotton Science 9:24-29.

Interpretive Summary: THIS STUDY LOOKED AT THE MICROBIAL EFFECTS OF STORED COTTON BALES THAT HAD BEEN BALED AT DIFFERENT MOISTURE LEVELS. A MODERATE AMOUNT OF WATER WAS ADDED AT THE GIN LINT SLIDE BEFORE BALING FOR FOUR TARGET MOISTURE LEVELS; 10%, 8%, 6% AND A NON-TREATED CONTROL BALE;THE ACTUAL INITIAL MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE TREATED BALES WERE 9.5%, 8.0%, 5.4% AND 5.0%,RESPECTIVELY. THE BALES WERE STORED FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR BEFORE SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FOR MICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND FIBER QUALITY MEAUREMENTS. WHILE AFIS MEASUREMENTS DID INDICATE SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN FIBER QUALITIES, THESE DIFFERENCES DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE NOR DID THEY APPEAR TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE BALE'S INITIAL OR FINAL MOISTURE CONTENT. NO PRACTICAL CHANGE IN COLOR GRADE, REFLECTANT OR YELLOWNESS, OR OTHER FIBER QUALITY WAS REVEALED BY HVI MEASUREMENTS. NO DIFFERENCES IN COTTON DUST POTENTIAL WERE OBSERVED. CHANGES IN MICROBIAL POPULATIONS INDICATED STATISICAL, BUT NO PRACTICAL DIFFERENCES FOR THE DIFFERENT WATER TREATMENTS. THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE BALES AT OPENING INDICATED THAT BALES EITHER LOST OR GAINED MOISTURE: -2.3%, -1.2%, +0.6%, AND +0.7% FOR THE TARGET MOISTURE TREATMENTS OF 10%, 8%, 6% AND CONTROL BALE, RESPECTIVELY.

Technical Abstract: THE MICROBIAL EFFECTS AND THE EFFECTS ON FIBER QUALITY OF STORED COTTON BALES THAT HAD BEEN TREATED WITH MODERATE AMOUNTS OF EXCESS MOISTURE WERE EXAMINED. THE TARGET MOISTURE CONTENTS WERE 10%, 8%, 6% AND A NON-TREATED CONTROL BALE. THE ACTUAL INITIAL MOISTURE CONTENT WERE 9.5%, 8.0%, 5.4% AND 5.0%, RESPECTIVELY. WHEN THE BALES WERE OPENED FOR SAMPLING, THE CONTROL AND LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE TREATMENT BALES GAINED MOISTURE WHILE THE HIGH-LEVEL MOISTURE TREATED BALES LOST MOISTURE. THE BALE MOISTURE CONTENT TENDED TO EQUILIBRATE TO BETWEEN 6% AND 7% DURING STORAGE SO A LOWER WEIGHT BALE WOULD MOST LIKELY BE DELIVERED TO THE END USER WITH THE HIGHER MOISTURE TREATED BALES. NO PRACTICAL DIFFERENCES WERE OBSERVED FOR COTTON DUST POTENTIAL, OR FIBER QUALITY, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO COLOR GRADE, REFLECTANCE OR YELLOWNESS, RESULTED FROM THE DIFFERENT WATER TREATMENTS. DIFFERENCES IN MICROBIAL ACTIVITY INDICATED LOWER VIABLE POPULATIONS WITH INCREASING MOISTURE CONTENTS, BUT THIS WAS EXPECTED AND DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY PARTICAL SIGNIFICANCE, WHICH WAS BORNE OUT BY THE LACK OF DIFFERENCES IN FIBER QUALITY.