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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #367815
Research Project: Enhancing the Profitability and Sustainability of Upland Cotton, Cottonseed, and Agricultural Byproducts through Improvements in Pre- and Post-Harvest Processing

Location: Cotton Production and Processing Research

Title: Preventing plastic contamination in the field and at the gin

Author
item Wanjura, John
item Pelletier, Mathew
item Holt, Gregory

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2019
Publication Date: 8/22/2019
Citation: Wanjura, J.D., Pelletier, M.G., Holt, G.A. 2019. Preventing plastic contamination in the field and at the gin. Meeting Abstract. Vol 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Plastic contamination continues to plague the United States (US) cotton industry. As a result, the US has lost its reputation as being a contamination free source of cotton fiber and the associated $0.05/lb price premium once paid by international spinning mills. Plastic contamination originates from several sources in the cotton production and processing cycle. This presentation discusses maintenance and operating procedures for new module - building cotton harvesters and proper handling and in-field storage techniques that mitigate the potential for plastic contamination. New research on detecting and removing contamination from seed cotton in the ginning process is discussed. Additional contamination prevention references and educational material links are provided.