The cotton fiber property variability continuum from motes through seeds

Cotton fiber quality at the bale level is a composite of all the constituti ve fibers in the bale. Bales contain fibers from both mature seeds and mote s (developmentally arrested seeds). The degree of variability shown in the fiber properties of seeds and motes serves as an indicator of the amount of variability in a bale. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) has been collected f rom machine harvested fields, and fibers have been removed by hand or ginne d with a small laboratory saw gin and analyzed with the Zellweger-Uster adv anced fiber information system (Ans). Distribution of ginned mote and seed weights are similar for three cotton varieties, but composite fiber propert ies are different. Early termination of embryo growth results in short-fibe r motes. The degree of secondary wall deposition for short-fiber motes show s that the capacity for cell wall synthesis is not terminated with the term ination of embryo growth. Cotton samples are categorized by ginned mote and seed weights. The cotton varieties with the most mature fibers also have t he most mature mote fibers. As ginned seed weight increases, fiber maturity increases. Fiber perimeter values fluctuate for motes but remain constant once a ginned seed weight of 56 mg is reached.