The stickiness of 66 cottons from different origins was assessed with the thermodetector and the laboratory minicard (as a reference method) and the results compared.

The examination of the results shows that the card-thermodetector relationship is not linear as the card demonstrates a saturation phenomenon for very sticky cottons whereas the thermodetector does not. The thermodetector seems to be a better measuring instrument for stickiness than minicard.

To increase the speed of stickiness measurement, the CIRAD-CA is currently developing a new measuring system where the human element in sample preparation, in the test itself and in counting the sticky points, has been reduced to a minimum. The duration of the test has also been reduced to render the determination of cotton stickiness compatible with the speed of HVI lines.

The High Speed Stickiness Detector would seem to be very promising. We are currently optimizing this new technique and a validation phase using a large number of samples is scheduled for 1994.