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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #78105

Title: COTTON FIBER IMPROVEMENT THROUGH BREEDING AND GENETICS

Author
item May Iii, Oscar

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/31/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Since the development of instrumentation to quantitatively measure cotton fiber properties in the early part of this century, breeders have made impressive strides in improving length, strength, and fineness parameters that are important to textile processing. The purpose of this presentation is to review progress in the genetic improvement of fiber quality, including some new properties, and to discuss how technological change in the textile industry will impact breeding priorities. Improvement of length uniformity and reducing short fiber content are priorities. These accomplishments would benefit both ring and open-end spinning. Increased fiber bundle strength that is reflected in higher yarn tenacity is necessary to sustain productivity gains in knit and woven fabric manufacture. An issue is which instrument should be used to select for fiber strength. Heritability of Stelometer strength was greater than that of high volume strength in two populations. Also, selection for Stelometer strength achieved twice as much increase in yarn tenacity when compared with selection for high volume strength in the same population. Wax and lubricants of cotton have been shown to contribute to denim fabric tear strength. Genotypic variation was found for wax and lubricants among entries in the Florence, SC, location of the 1996 High Quality Regional Cotton Variety Test. The next step is to determine the mode of inheritance.