Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #293906
Title: Tracking cotton fiber quality and foreign matter through a stripper harvester

Author
item PORTER, WESLEY - Oklahoma State University
item Wanjura, John
item TAYLOR, RANDAL - Oklahoma State University
item BOMAN, RANDAL - Oklahoma State University
item BUSER, MICHAEL - Oklahoma State University

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2017
Publication Date: 4/12/2017
Citation: Porter, W.M., Wanjura, J.D., Taylor, R.K., Boman, R.K., Buser, M.D. 2017. Tracking cotton fiber quality and foreign matter through a stripper harvester. Journal of Cotton Science. 21:29-29.

Interpretive Summary: Design improvements to stripper harvesters over the years have provided benefits in terms of field productivity and seed cotton cleanliness. However, little is known about the influence on fiber quality of the various harvesting, conveying, and cleaning systems used on a stripper harester. This work was conducted to track cotton fiber quality and foreign matter content throughout the harvesting units and conveying/cleaning systems on a brush-roll stripper harvester. The results of this work indicate that design efforts should be focused on the conveying systems between the row units and the field cleaner to provide additional cleaning. Moreover, fiber length characteristics and nep content were not influenced significantly by the action of the mechanical systems used to harvest, convey, or clean cotton on the stripper. It is anticipated that the information resulting from this work will be greatly beneficial in future harvester design efforts to improve cotton fiber cleanliness and quality.

Technical Abstract: The main objective of this project was to track cotton fiber quality and foreign matter content throughout the harvesting units and conveying/cleaning systems on a brush-roll stripper harvester. Seed cotton samples were collected at six locations in 2011 and five in 2012 including: 1) hand-picked from the field (HP), 2) after the stripper rolls in the row unit (ASR, ASR was not used in 2012), 3) just after the row units (ARU), 4) from the separation duct after the cotton was conveyed by the cross auger (ACA), 5) from the basket with the field cleaner by-passed (BFC), and 6) from the basket after the cotton was processed through the field cleaner (AFC). Seed cotton samples collected at each location were analyzed for foreign matter content and ginned to produce fiber for High Volume Instrument (HVI) and Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) fiber analyses. Results show that the row unit augers and field cleaner are the most effective systems on a cotton stripper for removing foreign matter. AFIS and HVI results indicate that the harvesting, conveying, and cleaning systems on a stripper harvester have a minimal effect on fiber length characteristics and the formation and size of neps. AFIS dust and trash are reduced as the fiber passes through the components on the harvester. The field cleaner reduced leaf grade back to the level observed at the stripper rolls. It is very important to note, independent of year effect, the results presented in this paper show similar trends between two harvest seasons.