ABSTRACT

Cotton samples exhibiting varying levels of whitefly honeydew contamination were subjected to 180oC temperatures under a stream of air. Honeydew present on the cotton underwent thermochemical degradation with concomitant production of the compound 5-hydroxymethylfuraldehyde (HMF). HMF is volatile at 180°C and was collected from the gas phase on an adsorbent material and measured using gas chromatography. Results indicate that HMF production is correlated with stickiness level as measured by the sticky cotton thermodetector and with sugar levels as measured by both HPLC and by the glucose oxidase enzyme method. This study provides the foundation for the development of a rapid, cost effective, and portable method for the detection of sticky cotton based on the release and subsequent measurement of volatile compounds.