ARS | Publication request: Preliminary field trash studies using near-infrared spectroscopy

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: January 18, 2011
Publication Date: April 25, 2011
Citation: Fortier, C.A., Rodgers III, J.E., Foulk, J.A., Whitelock, D.P. 2011. Preliminary field trash studies using near-infrared spectroscopy. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. 1294-1297.

Interpretive Summary: Field trash types (such as plastic bags and module covers) have been found to contaminate cotton lint during the harvesting of cotton. Thus, a method to classify and identify this foreign matter which is fast, precise, and accurate would be beneficial. Currently, the Shirley Analyzer and High Volume Instrument (HVI) are the methods of choice to account for cotton trash, (both botanical and field types), present with cotton lint. However, these methods do not specifically identify the trash types present with cotton lint. In this study, Near-Infrared spectroscopy was implemented as a technique to specifically identify trash types. Results in this study confirm the feasibility of NIR spectroscopy as a technique to successfully identify various trash types.

Technical Abstract: Cotton is a cash crop that is important in the world market. Development of instrumental techniques to measure cotton quality parameters which are accurate, precise, and fast would be beneficial. Cotton trash (leaf, etc.) and field trash (plastic bags, etc.) comingled with lint adversely affects the quality associated with harvesting and processing of cotton lint. Conventional instrumental testing techniques, including the Shirley Analyzer and the High Volume Instrument (HVITM), presently do not specifically determine the types of cotton trash present with the lint. A program was employed to determine the specific identity of different cotton and field trash types at the same time using Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Recent results reveal that identification of cotton and field trash types is feasible with NIR spectroscopy with a high degree of accuracy.