U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home News & Events News Articles Research News 2002





- ARS News & Events
- AgResearch Magazine
- Image Gallery
- News
- Search News & Events
- Pesticide Drift May Endanger Pollinators
- ARS Seeks a Fire Ant Fix
- Scientific Discoveries 2024
- ARS Featured Photos
- Down on the Farm
- Facebook Live Events
- Food and Nutrition Research Briefs
- News Archive
- Science in Your Shopping Cart
- Scientific Discoveries
- Social Media
- Under the Microscope
- AgResearch magazine
- ARS at Work
- ARS Memorial Lectures
- ARS Science Hall of Fame
- Citrus Disease (Huanglongbing)
- Contact Office of Communications
- Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Mobile Apps
- Public Affairs Contacts
- Publications and Other Resources
- USDA Blog
- Videos

Archived Page
 This page has been archived and is being provided for reference purposes only. The page is no longer being updated, and therefore, links on the page may be invalid.
 Click image for caption and other photo information.
Read the magazine story to find out more.
Moisture in Cotton: Getting It Just Right
By Luis PonsMay 21, 2002
Maintaining proper moisture in cotton bales is critical for successful textile processing. Too little moisture makes cotton susceptible to damage, while too much makes it stick to machinery components.
That is why Agricultural Research Service scientists are working with a Tennessee-based company to find easier ways to regulate moisture throughout processing.
The work at the ARS Cotton Quality Research Unit in Clemson, S.C., is part of a three-year cooperative research and development agreement with Cotton Conditioners, Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn. The goal is to see how various approaches tried in the lab hold up in a real-world setting. Researchers also want to develop, evaluate and commercialize an effective automated system to control moisture in cotton during processing in textile mills.
In the laboratory tests, ARS scientists led by textile technologist David D. McAlister sought to determine precise amounts of moisture needed to best maintain fiber properties, improve processing and increase yarn quality. The amount of moisture added will vary from process to process, based upon factors such as the cotton’s variety, surface wax and cleanability.
The scientists used various methods to condition samples taken from bales of cotton. Some samples were left in ambient room conditions, while others were sprayed with water, both with and without a wetting agent to improve absorption. The team then measured fiber properties and yarn tensile strength of each sample to see which moisture level most improved the cotton fiber’s ability to be processed.
Cotton is the world’s most widely used textile fiber, with U.S. growers providing 20 percent of the world’s output.
Read more about this research in the May issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
ARS is the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


Return to top


Research
                            Media
                            About ARS
                            Work With Us


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov