Cotton Fiber Maturity by Image Analysis

Applications of state-of-the-art image analysis techniques to measuring cotton (Gos sypium sp.) fiber maturity are reported. Individual cotton fibers arrayed longitudinally on microscope slides are optically scanned by the image analyzer. The fiber's video image is automatically broken into narrow bands for discreet measurements of pro jected fiber widths along its length. The ratio of the average maximum to the average minimum of these measurements is related to the degree of development of the sec ondary wall of each fiber. Results are reported for several cotton varieties of either measured maturities or of known fiber post-anthesis ages.