Fiber and Yarn Performance of Upland Cotton with Improved Fiber Bundle Strength

• Published in: Crop science 2012-05, Vol.52 (3), p.1061-1067
• Main Authors: Gregory, K, Ng, E.H, Smith, W, Hequet, E, Hague, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: advanced fiber information system; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; biopolymers; cultivars; exports; fiber content; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; furrow irrigation; genotype; Gossypium hirsutum; high volume instruments; industry; lint cotton; markets; plant cultural practices; yarns
• ISSN: 1435-0653; 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2011.08.0443

The U.S. cotton (Gossypium spp.) industry has shifted focus in recent years to an export market, necessitating further development of upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.) cultivars with superior fiber properties to maintain competitiveness. This study was conducted to compare both fiber and yarn performance of upland cotton genotypes with similar average fiber length but enhanced fiber bundle strength (Str) with two high quality commercial controls, 'FM 832LL' and 'DP 491'. The high Str strains and commercial upland controls were grown in Weslaco, TX, during the summers of 2009 and 2010 with standard agronomic practices for south Texas, including furrow irrigation. Plots were spindle-machine harvested, seedcotton ginned on a research gin without a lint cleaner, and lint and yarn tested at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI) in Lubbock, TX. Lint and yarn data collected included high volume instrument (HVI) and advanced fiber information system (AFIS) derived data and ring spun yarn data (mini-spinning protocol). Years were different for almost every fiber and yarn property except Str, immature fiber content (IFC), yarn tenacity (Ten), work required for yarn breakage (Work to Break) and the number of thin places per kilometer that are at least 50% smaller in diameter than adjacent portions of yarn (Thin). All of the high Str strains had higher Ten in 2009 than the controls and 9 of the 11 had higher Ten in 2010. The high Str genotypes resulted in more even yarns (as determined with the Uster Tester 3 [Uster Technologies]).