A Comparative Study of a Microgin with a Lab Gin Stand and Commercial Gins In Southeast U.S

A microgin is built to simulate the performance of commercial gins and to gin cotton samples from whole research plots. This study compared a modern microgin located in southeast U.S., a lab gin stand, and five commercial gins in terms of fiber quality properties and lint turnout.  Results showed that the lint turnout from the laboratory gin was consistently higher (0.8-2.3%) than that from the commercial gins, while the microgin and commercial gins had similar gin turnout (0.1-1.6% differences).  The HVI trash and leaf grade from the lab gin stand were 0.98 (units) and 3 (grades) higher than that from the commercial gins, respectively; the differences between the microgin and commercial gins were only 0.16 and 1, respectively.  Color reflectance from the lab gin was 5.92% less than that from the commercial gins; the difference between the microgin and commercial gins in reflectance was only 0.68%.  Length and uniformity from the lab gin were 1.02 mm and 1.7% higher than those from the commercial gins, respectively; the differences between the microgin and commercial gins were only 0.25 mm and 0.58%, respectively. Linear regression analyses showed that the microgin had a consistently lower bias than the lab gin stand in estimating commercial gin values in most fiber quality properties except for micronaire. The data confirmed that the microgin outperforms the lab gin stand in estimating the lint turnout and most fiber quality properties and it should be a valuable tool for cotton research.