Laboratory Ginning and Blending Impacts on Cotton Fiber Micronaire Measurements

For boll or small quantity seed cotton samples, fiber samples can be prepared by laboratory ginning methods, such as hand ginning (HG), laboratory-scale saw ginning (SG), and roller ginning (RG). Fiber blending is sometimes performed, which can impact fiber surface appearance. Interest was expressed on the impact of blending and laboratory ginning methods on Uster High Volume Instrument (HVI), Fibronaire, and near infrared (NIR) micronaire measurements. Blending impacts were slight but discernable by NIR only. Very good lint yield agreement was observed between the ginning methods (42–45%). Laboratory ginning impacts on the measured micronaire results were small, with between measurement method and between gin method agreements established. Thus, the use of any of the evaluated gin methods would yield acceptable and comparable micronaire results.