A Comparative Study of the Technological Characteristics of Cotton Fibers from Two Types of Gins in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Production of this crop is experiencing significant challenges, resulting in a decline in seed and fiber quality. To address this challenge, generations of high-performance cotton plants of the Gossypium hirsutum L . species have been developed and are currently being commercialized. This study evaluated the impact of gin types on the agro-industrial quality of cotton in Côte d’Ivoire. To this end, cotton from the G3, R1, and R2 generations was harvested, sampled, and ginned on machines with 10 and 170 saws in the localities of Ouangolodougou, Ferkessédougou, Korhogo, M’Bengué, Boundiali, Séguéla, and Mankono, as well as at the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique CNRA) in Bouaké. The results demonstrated that cotton fibers obtained from ginning on 10-saw machines exhibited superior quality compared to those from 170-saw machines. Fiber length, fiber length uniformity, and short fiber rate exhibited the highest deviations according to gin type. The use of 170-saw gins resulted in a notable decline in quality. Conversely, micronaire index, fiber tenacity and elongation, and reflectance remained consistent across machine types. These results will enable us to more effectively regulate and advise cotton-processing factories, which primarily utilize 170-saw gins to enhance agro-industrial quality in Côte d’Ivoire. Furthermore, these results will assist breeders in incorporating them into their processes to enhance the quality of the varieties they offer to farmers.