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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Quality and Innovation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #428548
Research Project: New Characteristics for Enhancing Cotton Fiber Performance and Marketability

Location: Cotton Quality and Innovation Research

Title: Comparative upland cotton fiber length measurement and the relation to fiber maturity

Author
item Liu, Yongliang
item Chang, Sechin
item Hinchliffe, Doug

Submitted to: Textile
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2025
Publication Date: 1/5/2026
Citation: Liu, Y., Chang, S., Hinchliffe, D.J. 2026. Comparative upland cotton fiber length measurement and the relation to fiber maturity. Textile. 6(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/textiles6010004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/textiles6010004

Interpretive Summary: Cotton fiber length and maturity are critical quality parameters for the cotton industry and cotton research. They are measured simultaneously by commercially available and accepted instruments known as high volume instrument (HVI) and advanced fiber information system (AFIS). Unlike the HVI analysis relying on calibration standards, the AFIS test is a direct measurement of individual fiber property and distribution. Compared to HVI and AFIS qualities from HVI length calibration cotton standards, those from lint samples of diverse cultivars showed insignificant difference in HVI micronaire (MIC) and AFIS fineness. Among HVI length calibration cotton standards and lint samples, there was a better relationship between HVI upper-half mean length (UHML) and AFIS L5%(n) than between HVI and AFIS UQL(w). AFIS L5%(n) was observed to be correlated moderately with AFIS maturity ratio (MR), and AFIS MR was further found to be positively and moderately related with algorithmic MIR values of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectral measurement. The result provides cotton researchers with an alternative and rapid tool for laboratory AFIS MR estimation in remote / breeding locations.

Technical Abstract: Cotton fiber length and maturity, two critical fiber qualities, are commonly deter-mined in U.S. by Uster high volume instrument (HVI) and advanced fiber information system (AFIS). Main objectives of this investigation were to compare how HVI lengths agree with AFIS lengths and to examine whether the fiber length is linked with fiber maturity between the Universal HVI length calibration cotton standards and diverse upland lint samples. HVI micronaire (MIC) and AFIS fineness showed insignificant differences from HVI length calibration cotton standards to lint samples. Although there were strong and significant correlations between HVI upper-half mean length (UHML) and either AFIS UQL(w) or AFIS L5%(n), the relationship between UHML and L5%(n) was better suited than between UHML and UQL(w) in scrutinizing fiber lengths. Meanwhile, analysis revealed a moderate correlation between AFIS L5%(n) length and AFIS maturity ratio (MR), indicating the possibility of improving AFIS L5%(n) length by regulating fiber MR development. Further, AFIS MR values were positive and moderate correlated with algorithmic MIR values of attenuated total re-flection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectra. The results suggested the fea-sibility of ATR FT-IR method along with MIR analysis in estimating AFIS MR rapidly away from fiber testing laboratories.