ASSESSING GINNABILITY OF AUSTRALIAN COTTON FIBER

The fiber attachment strength of 10 different varieties of cotton were measured in samples from two growing areas in Australia. The same samples were measured in laboratory tests to obtain values for the seed index, mote content, lint fraction, and nep count. These measurements were used with standard HVI fiber values to investigate the ginnability of the different varieties, the effects of growing area on ginnability, and the effects of ginning on fiber quality. It was found that the fiber attachment strength and the mote content of the seed cotton was higher in cotton from the more northerly (lower latitude) growing area, while the lint fraction (turn out) and seed index values were similar across the cotton growing belt. The fiber attachment strength was negatively correlated with mote content but no other parameters in the data set. Regression analyses were used to develop predictive equations for the fiber attachment strength, mote content, fiber elongation, short fiber content, uniformity, and length from the measured data.