INTRODUCTORY STUDY OF STRUCTURES OF COTTON MOTES AND MOTE FIBERS

Abnormalities in cotton fibers and seed formation produce materials th at cause defects during production of textiles. The source of some of these defects has been traced to motes and mote, or undeveloped, fiber s. Structures of motes and mote fibers are shown using light and elect ron microscopy. Boils collected from normal, stressed, and diseased pl ants are compared for numbers and kinds of motes. Small motes are diff icult to separate from fiber bundles after bell opening. Large motes h ave undeveloped embryos and break apart more readily than do normally developed seeds. Mote fibers may develop into long, hollow tubes witho ut secondary cellulose layers. These flat fibers contain little cellul ose compared to fully developed fibers. Both the chemical and physical structures of motes and mote fibers contribute to defects in textile products.