ARS | Publication request: Rapid cotton maturity and fineness measurements using the Cottonscope®

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 6, 2012
Publication Date: April 16, 2012
Citation: Rodgers III, J.E., Delhom, C.D., Thibodeaux, D.P. 2012. Rapid cotton maturity and fineness measurements using the Cottonscope®. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. p.1228-1232.

Interpretive Summary: Much interest has been shown in new and rapid measurements of fiber maturity and fineness. The Cottonscope is a new instrument for fiber maturity and fineness, using polarized light microscopy and image analysis. A program was implemented to determine the capabilities of the Cottonscope to measure cotton fiber maturity and fineness. The measurement takes less than 8 minutes per sample and is easy to perform. The major operational impact on the Cottonscope results was temperature/relative humidity, and for fineness only. Good agreement was observed for maturity and fineness between the Cottonscope and the cross-section image analysis technique. The Cottonscope and cross-section image analysis methods were more responsive to changes in maturity and fineness than the Uster® AFIS method.

Technical Abstract: Much interest has been shown in new and rapid measurements of fiber maturity and fineness. The Cottonscope is a new instrument for fiber maturity and fineness, using a longitudinal measurement of weighted fiber snippets in water by polarized light microscopy and image analysis. A program was implemented to determine the capabilities of the Cottonscope to measure cotton fiber maturity and fineness. The measurement takes less than 8 minutes per sample (6 measurements per sample) and is easy to perform. The major operational impact on the Cottonscope results was environmental conditions (temperature/relative humidity), and for fineness only. Good agreement was observed for maturity and fineness between the Cottonscope and the cross-section image analysis (IA) technique. The Cottonscope and IA methods were more responsive to changes in maturity and fineness than the AFIS method.