9677 Research Directions in Cotton Structure and Quality Research at the USDA Southern Regional Research Center

Wednesday, January 7, 2009: 10:30 AM
Conf. Room 11 (Marriott Rivercenter Hotel)
James E. Rodgers, USDA ARS, SRRC, New Orleans, LA
The Cotton and Structure (CSQ) Research Unit is a core cotton research unit at the Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC).  The mission of the CSQ is to develop and improve the methods for assessing quality and structural attributes of cotton fiber through all stages of production and processing.  Specific research and areas of emphasis include the improved understanding of cotton fiber structural components; a more complete understanding of the relationship of water to cotton (to include moisture measurements) and its impact on fiber processing characteristics; determination of the ability to measure key cotton fiber-yarn-fabric properties; demonstration of the value of adding new quality measurements to better predict cotton processing efficiency and product quality (short fiber content, seed coat fragments, etc.); standards feasibility and development; and development of new quality assessment tools for cotton breeders.  Cotton quality assessment and processing capabilities have increased sharply with the installation of new instrumentation and equipment in the areas of fiber-to-fabric physical properties, structure analyses, advanced spectroscopy, and modular/small scale processing.  In addition, we have focused on strengthening and expanding our extensive network of collaborators.