Perimeter Measurements of Cotton Fibers in the Primary-Wall Stage

Abstract

A method is described for obtaining information regarding perimeter differences of mature cotton fibers by measuring the perimeters of the fibers in the primary-wall stage. Tufts of young fibers were cut from the seed, stained, fanned out on a glass slide, and dried. The width of the collapsed dried fiber is equal to half its perimeter at the point measured. Perimeters were measured for 9 types of cotton, which had been selected to represent a range in size of perimeters. The average perimeter values obtained were compared to and found to show differences that were consistent with perimeter values obtained for the mature fibers of the same types of cotton.