The Cotton Research Unit at the Australia-based Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO) reports it has developed an instrument that accurately measures cotton fiber
maturity in approximately 25 seconds. The research was supported by the Cotton Research Development
Corp. and the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC.
The technology has been licensed to Cottonscope Pty. Ltd., a new company established by
Australia-based BSC Electronics Pty. Ltd. Cottonscope will manufacture and market the tester.
The instrument will help farmers determine when a cotton crop is ready to be harvested.
Immature fiber can be downgraded in quality because of problems with neps and dye uptake in
downstream processing.
“Cottonscope will also be valuable in the spinning mill where it will enable more accurate
prediction of nep creation, dye uptake and overall quality control when cotton bales are laid down
for processing at the mill,” said Dr. Stuart Gordon, research team leader, CSIRO’s Cotton Research
Unit. “Of further benefit, is the instrument’s ability to monitor the maturity and fineness of
various cotton breeds to assist in the selection of better cotton varieties for the production of
high-quality fabric.”
Later this month, Gordon and BSC Electronics Director Mark Brims will present the Cottonscope
instrument to the International Committeee for Cotton Test Methods on the occasion of the 30th
International Cotton Conference to be held in Bremen, Germany.
March 17, 2010