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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #276688
Title: Impacts of gin and mill cleaning on medium-long staple stripper-harvested cotton

Author
item KRIFA, MOURAD - University Of Texas
item Holt, Gregory

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/2/2013
Publication Date: 3/26/2013
Citation: Krifa, M., Holt, G.A. 2013. Impacts of gin and mill cleaning on medium-long staple stripper-harvested cotton. Transactions of the ASABE. 56(1):203-215.

Interpretive Summary: A several year study (2006 - 2008) was undertaken using five varieties to evaluate impact on zero, one, two, and three stages of lint cleaning on fiber property and lint value from the perspectives of ginners and spinners. Results of the study indicate the fiber quality gains from lint cleaning at the cotton gin vary from season to season, depending on the initial trash content and on the potential of the fiber to break (i.e., fiber maturity). The variation in maturity resulting from the growing season appeared to be a major factor in determining length reduction at the cotton gin. Fiber properties of neps (fiber entaglements), short fiber content, and mean length were impacted by all ginning and spinning mill cleaning processes. In the cotton gin, the potential for preserving fiber length by reducing the number of lint cleaners was only achieved with immature cotton. Overall, the maturity of the cotton had the largest impact on whether or not additional processing/cleaning negatively impacted fiber property.

Technical Abstract: The quality of upland cotton grown on the Texas plains, now constituting nearly 40% of all US cotton, has changed radically over the past decade. However, production practices, particularly pertaining to harvesting and ginning, remain largely unchanged with a predominately stripper-harvested crop, and hence, lint subjected to vigorous cleaning at the gin, which could adversely impact the use value of the cotton in high-value added applications more typically served by picker-harvested cotton. This research was conducted to provide a systemic analysis combining perspectives from both the gin and the spinning mill of the impacts of mechanical cleaning on the emerging stripper-harvested cotton with the improved fiber properties that appear suitable for ring-spinning. Analysis of the individual fiber properties across the gin-spinning mill system revealed significant interactions impacting fiber entanglements (neps), mean length, and short fiber content. Both neps and length distribution parameters constitute major quality traits currrently not considered in classing, but that determine the use-value of the cotton from the spinner's perspective.