Variation in the size of fibre base in diploid and tetraploid cotton varieties in relation to the strength of attachment and seed coat removal

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">The morphology of the fibre base of cotton lint from three regions of the seed, viz. micropylar, side and chalazal, of both diploid and tetraploid cotton cultivars has been studied by scanning electron microscopy. In general, the size of the fibre base is maximum at the micropylar region followed by side and chalazal regions. The energy required to pull the fibres from the micropylar region is also maximum in both diploid and tetraploid cottons. However, the incidence of seed coat fragments, which is mostly due to the removal of chalazal cap during ginning, could not be correlated with the size of the fibre base from this region.</span>