Comparison of Focal Plane Array FTIR Pixel Binning Size for the Nondestructive Determination of Cotton Fiber Maturity Distributions

The current study further examines the use of a Focal-Plane Array (FPA) imaging system for making maturity determinations in small cotton fiber bundles. The pixel array in the system was adjusted to examine ~ 140 points per sample, an improvement over a previous study that examined ~ 36 points per sample. A linear regression comparing FPA and Cottonscope maturity determination for 30 cotton samples produced an R² value of 0.96, suggesting a strong correlation between both sets of determinations. Additionally, Gaussian fits for maturity histograms included ~ 560 sampling points per sample and mirrored maturity distributions observed with the Cottonscope. Measurements were quick, required a small amount of fiber and were not destructive to the sample. A bias examination of the 140 pixels across four calibration cottons suggests little recurring bias for most of the pixels, an indication that the observed sample variability is inherent to the sample. Taken together, these results support the use of the FPA IR system for the non-destructive examination and imaging of cotton maturity distributions.