Investigation of Fiber Maturity Effect on Saw-Type Lint Cleaner Fiber Damage and Yarn Properties

Cotton gins have been shown to cause some damage to lint during lint cleaning but the damage is less for mature fiber than for immature fiber.  Also, lint requires additional cleaning and machining before it is made into yarn.  This study was designed to examine the interrelationship between machining and maturity on the yarn produced.  Two cultivars were planted and grown in the same field at the same time, in 16 plots.  Half of the plots were defoliated earlier and half later than usual to obtain fiber with two maturities but otherwise similar.  Several lint cleaning regimes were used and lint data were collected with AFIS and HVI.  The fiber lots were spun into yarn and the yarn tested.  These data will be analyzed to provide better guidance on the importance of gin-based lint cleaning and fiber maturity to fiber value and yarn quality.