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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #392355
Research Project: Improving the Production and Processing of Western and Long-Staple Cotton and Companion Crops to Enhance Quality, Value, and Sustainability

Location: Cotton Ginning Research

Title: Gin saw thickness impact on lint turnout, lint value, and seed damage

Author
item Funk, Paul
item Thomas, Joseph
item Yeater, Kathleen
item KOTHARI, NEHA - Cotton, Inc
item Armijo, Carlos
item Whitelock, Derek
item Wanjura, John
item Delhom, Christopher - Chris

Submitted to: Applied Engineering in Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2022
Publication Date: 8/11/2022
Citation: Funk, P.A., Thomas, J.W., Yeater, K.M., Kothari, N., Armijo, C.B., Whitelock, D.P., Wanjura, J.D., Delhom, C.D. 2022. Gin saw thickness impact on lint turnout, lint value, and seed damage. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 38(4):645-650. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.15171.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.15171

Interpretive Summary: A laboratory test concluded that cotton gin saw thickness had no statistically significant impact on fiber value. The amount of fiber removed by thinner gin saws was about 2% more.

Technical Abstract: Over 95% of U.S. cotton post-harvest processing is done using saw gins. Gin saws have long been supplied in three thicknesses. We quantified the effect of saw thickness on lint turnout, lint value, and seed damage, variables that determine producer returns. Saw cylinders stacked with 0.9144 and 1.143 mm (0.036 and 0.045 in.) thick saws, the thinnest and thickest available, were operated in laboratory conditions on three cotton growths (cultivars and production practices) from Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas in an experiment with five replicates. Fiber quality from samples obtained after lint cleaning was measured using High Volume Instruments (HVI). HVI results were combined with Commodity Credit Corporation Marketing Assistance Loan premium and discount tables to calculate fiber value. Seed damage was estimated after germination using Association of Official Seed Analysts rules. A backwards regression approach in JMP reduced each response variable’s model until only significant controlled and uncontrolled variables remained. Tested variables included: growth and saw thickness and their interaction; processing rate; processing energy; test duration; foreign matter content; moisture content; and ambient humidity and temperature. There was no significant difference in fiber value due to saw thickness. Seed quality differences were insignificant. Differences in lint turnout due to saw thickness also were statistically insignificant. Saw thickness selection may be based on other considerations.