Providing Cleaner Fiber Samples: An Effort to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Breeder Samples

Breeding programs have limited options when it comes to processing breeder size samples after harvest.  Small samples are ginned on 10 saw table top gins not equipped with lint cleaners.  Lack of lint cleaners results in trashy fiber samples which can then affect the accuracy and efficiency of fiber testing.  Both the HVI (high volume instrument) and the AFIS (advanced fiber information system) are sensitive to excessive trash in fiber samples and may require additional maintenance when analyzing trashy samples.  Down time for additional maintenance and cleaning can be costly and inconvenient to both the breeding program and the testing facility. The costs (both monetary and time) of leaf trash in fiber samples may be substantial and current options to address this issue are limited. The objective of this study is to evaluate the value and practicality of adding lint cleaning to the process of table top ginning as a means of addressing this common problem.