Neps in Ginned Lint: The Effect of Varieties, Harvesting, and Ginning Practices

The effects of varieties, harvesting practices, and ginning techniques on the nep content of ginned lint were evaluated in a two year study in the Mississippi Delta. Neps increased more with lint cleaning during ginning than with harvesting practices or varieties. Two stages of lint cleaning increased the neps in ginned lint from 15.9 to 36.2 neps/645 cm 2 of web. Differences caused by varieties were about equal to those caused by harvesting practices. The nep content was not significantly related to the number of seedcoat fragments, foreign matter, or grade.