Project Number: 6235-41000-006-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Aug 27, 2004
End Date: Aug 26, 2009

Objective:
1. Develop technologies for production, harvesting, and storage that directly impact gin plant operation, gin product quality, and textile mill operation. 2. Develop new and improved processing, sensing and control technologies for superior fiber/seed separation, foreign matter identification and extraction, accurate online cotton properties measurement and efficient process control to produce higher quality fiber more economically for optimal textile utility. 3. Develop new technologies and alternative uses for cotton production systems, ginning equipment, lint, seed, and gin by-products to increase the value of gin-related products. 4. Develop new knowledge and technology for assessent and remediation to assist with ginning industry safety and environmental regulatory compliance.

Approach:
The approach will be to combine well-defined experiments, testing specific hypotheses, with long-term, higher risk exploration of innovative concepts that may lead to new technologies. The laboratory interdisciplinary team of 5 ARS scientists, 10 Federal employees and various other support personnel brings collaborative relationships and diverse experience together to focus on 17 projects directly supporting the laboratory research program.