Technology research and development: measuring and improving cotton product quality, creating new outlets.

摘要

Cotton is grown in both industrialized and developing countries, primarily for its fibre. Cotton technology has a role to play in promoting cotton fibre from developing countries and in proposing ways of using the seed itself. Ouality begins in the field: the changes in commercial fibre classification and world market trends are prompting a strengthening of the links between stakeholders in the commodity chain, technologists, agronomists and cotton specialists with a view to studying and optimizing the interactions between the environment, cropping techniques and fibre quality. Specific cognitive research, industrial processes and measuring equipment are now required for cotton fibre, particularly as certain quality characteristics are now world market priorities, and CIRAD has moved in that directs. The experience acquired means that it is now in a position to help producing countries to optimize the commercial classification of their fibre so as to obtain the highest possible price. Cottonseed, for its part, has huge potential in terms of food products and new materials: using so-called glandless or toxic pigment (gossypol)-free cottonseed; producing biodegradable protein films, etc. For beth fibre and seed, cotton technology is a field whose content and work methods closely follow trends in the commodity chain and processing industry.