Impacts of Laboratory Ginning Method on Cotton Fiber Micronaire Measurements

Recent evaluations have demonstrated the feasibility of measuring micronaire in remote locations (e.g., in or near the cotton field) using portable Near Infrared (NIR) analyzers.  However, several different laboratory ginning methods are available to gin the seed cotton, including hand ginning, roller ginning, and saw ginning.  Concerns were expressed as to the influence on micronaire results due to the different laboratory ginning methods.  Seed cottons from 3 varieties were ginned by each laboratory ginning method, and their HVI, Fibronaire, and NIR micronaire results were compared.  Good NIR spectral agreement was observed between the three ginning methods.  The impacts of laboratory ginning method on both physical methods for measuring micronaire (HVI, Fibronaire) and the NIR measurement of micronaire were determined.