Fiber Maturity

Fiber Maturity

Fibre maturity is a fibre characteristic which expresses the relative degree of thickening of the fibre wall. In other words, it is the measure of primary and secondary wall thickness.
The fibre maturity is usually estimated by several indirect tests which are often used to find out the proportion of fibres containing a maturity greater than some selected level.

A fiber will be matured if a high degree of wall thickening took place into the fiber content during cotton growth.

There are several factors upon which the fibre maturity is basically depends. By changing theses factors you can also measure that which factors is working behind to be a fibre matured or which not.
The factors are –

1. Weather: If the weather doesn’t favor, the fiber gets less chance to be matured.
2. Types of Soil: It is proved that, in some country the fibers grows well and becomes well matured and on some other country; due to the soil, fibers don’t be so much matured and grows low quality fibres.
3. Plant Diseases: If proper care is not taken to the fibres, these become less matured due to several diseases.
4. Pests: Some pests is good for Plants and some are bad. So be careful to apply any pesticides on any plants.
5. Dead Fibers: It is natural that the dead fibers will be immature.

Measurement of fiber maturity

Fiber maturity can be measured directly using two types of dye. One is red and another is green. Both of them are used on a same bath in a liquate form. A fiber is dissolved in this bath. If the fiber became red then consider that fiber is mature and if became green then consider that fiber is immature. Because mature fibers are stained red & immature fibers are strained green. The red color being developed the cellulose of the secondary wall. Hence the little or no secondary wall thickening no red.