Evaluation of In-Field Monitoring Methods to Reduce Neps (in Australian Cotton)

For Australian cotton issues that have been highlighted as concerns by spinners including: neps (small entanglements of cotton fibers), short fiber (fibers shorter than 12.5 mm), rising contamination and micronaire greater than 4.5. Significant research efforts are being undertaken seeking to optimize cotton fiber quality and enhance the value of Australian cotton through research into direct influences of on-farm agronomic management and climate on fiber development and post-harvest research that investigate the degree of these influences on textile performance in the mill. This paper presents research which is developing in-field monitoring techniques to identify circumstances when crops may have increased levels of neps so these instances maybe avoided.  Field experiments were conducted that measured neps in harvested cotton taken from treatments that had harvest aids systematically applied to force bolls open from 1.6% open bolls to full harvest maturity (100% open bolls).  The amount of neps (count/g) was significantly related the proportion of bolls open (%), nodes above cracked boll (NACB), and % immature bolls (as defined by the color of the seed coats in cut bolls).  The most reliable relationship in predicting change in the amount of neps was % open bolls followed by % immature bolls then NACB. Application of harvest aids after 60% open bolls reduced chances of increasing neps and lowering yield.  Substantial increases in neps were avoided despite crops being harvested with 20% immature bolls present.   Current research is investigating the feasibility of these monitoring techniques to predict neps in crops that have plants variable in their maturity, and how these treatments impact on textile performance (yarn strength and dye uptake).