Variability of fiber AFIS length and maturity within and among upland cotton cultivars

Authors: Liu, Yongliang

Submitted to: Journal of Natural Fibers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/13/2024
Publication Date: 5/24/2024
Citation: Liu, Y. 2024. Variability of fiber AFIS length and maturity within and among upland cotton cultivars. Journal of Natural Fibers. 21: 2356694. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2024.2356694.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2024.2356694

Interpretive Summary: Cotton fiber length and maturity are essential quality parameters for the cotton industry and cotton research. Advanced fiber information system (AFIS) is one of the current commercially available and accepted instruments for simultaneous length and maturity measurement by analyzing the individualized (single) fibers in a sample. Extending fiber length and maturity measurement into seed cotton (~2.0 g fiber/boll), AFIS method is an important option due to the analysis of 0.5 g sample per measurement. Compared to the averages of AFIS length and maturity from locule samples in a seed cotton cultivar, those from lint samples of the same cotton cultivar or diverse cultivars showed less difference in L(w), UQL(w), L5%(n) and MR. Comparison of correlations between locule samples of a cultivar and lint samples of diverse cultivars indicated statistically significant sampling method X ginning interactions for all AFIS length and maturity properties except for MR and Fineness. The results could provide cotton scientists an effective and rapid tool for monitoring the fiber length and maturity variation within one seed cotton sample or between seed cotton samples at a locule level for optimizing fiber quality improvement for cotton fiber researchers and growers.

Technical Abstract: Cotton fiber length and maturity are essential quality parameters for the cotton industry and cotton research. The current commercially available and accepted instruments for simultaneous length and maturity measurement are high volume instrument (HVI) and advanced fiber information system (AFIS). HVI measures the bundled fibers while AFIS tests the individualized (single) fibers in a lint sample. Extending fiber length and maturity measurement into seed cotton, AFIS method is an important option considering such factors as a 0.5 g sample for AFIS but a 10.0 g sample for HVI. However, differences between seed cotton fiber sampling and lint fiber sampling may lead to inconsistencies between research and industry results for measured fiber qualities. Locule samples of a cotton cultivar showed wider ranges of several AFIS properties than lint samples of diverse cultivars. Compared to the averages of AFIS length and maturity from locule samples, those from lint samples of the same cotton cultivar or diverse cultivars showed less difference in L(w), UQL(w), L5%(n) and MR. Comparison of correlations between locule samples of a cultivar and lint samples of diverse cultivars indicated statistically significant sampling method X ginning interactions for all AFIS length and maturity properties except for MR and Fineness. Result also implied the difficulties of evaluating fiber length properties from fiber maturity information on samples with limited information. This demonstrated a need to search for a reliable, low-cost, and rapid AFIS method that is beneficial to the industry, research, and breeding communities.