James Rodgers1, Sho Yeung Kang2, Gayle H. Davidonis3, Vikki Martin4, and Michael D. Watson4. (1) USDA ARS, SRRC, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124, (2) University of Georgia, 305 Sanford Drive, Athens, GA 30602, (3) USDA-ARS, USDA-ARS-Southern Regional Research Center, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124, (4) Cotton Incorporated, PO Box 8006, Cary, NC 27512
Micronaire is a key quality and processing parameter for cotton fiber. The most common measurement of micronaire is a laboratory air resistance measurement with the Uster® High Volume Instrument (HVI). A program was implemented 1) to determine the capabilities of bench-top and portable Near Infrared (NIR) instrumentation to monitor cotton fiber micronaire and its component fiber properties (maturity/maturity ratio, fineness) and 2) to determine the ability of advanced portable instrumentation to monitor critical cotton fiber properties in the field. Comparative studies on optimum laboratory instrumental settings were performed. For laboratory measurements, the 400 Scans/Gain = 2/Glass Head condition was shown to be the best overall portable NIR method for fiber micronaire, and it was implemented for all portable laboratory micronaire measurements. The NIR measurement was fast (< 5 minutes per sample) and easy to perform. Field trials for micronaire on cotton bolls were successfully performed in 4 fields in Louisiana and Mississippi. Two field sampling systems were developed. Distinct micronaire differences were detected between cotton varieties and bolls with known micronaire differences.
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