Cotton stalks

Cotton is cultivated primarily for textile fibres, and little use is made of the cotton plant stalk. Stalk harvest yields tend to be low and storage can be a problem. The cotton stalk is plagued with parasites, and stored stalks can serve as a breeding ground for the parasites to winter over for next year s crop. Attempted commercialisation of cotton stalk particleboard was unsuccessful for this reason. 

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Bleached cotton stalk pulp is treated with different concentrations of ethylene diamine (50-100%) for 20 min. It is clear that the crystallinity index (CrI) of these treated pulps is decreased by increasing the concentration of ethylene diamine that is, the decrystallization increases. The degree of polymerization is nearly the same, but some increase is shown in the sample treated with 100% ethylene diamine. This indicates that 100% ethylene diamine may act as a dissolving agent for low degree of polymerization (DP) of cellulosic chains and hemicellulose. 

Summing up these results, it is clear that beating and swelling of cotton stalk pulp have important effects on graftability. At high-monomer concentrations, the graftability is higher in the swollen samples than in the beaten samples. 

Methyl parathion was monitored in crops from 37 states in 1972 as part of the National Soils Monitoring Program (Carey et al. 1979). The pesticide was detected in 40% of cotton stalk, 6.3% of cotton seed,... 

Further, the sustainability of cotton fibre production can be improved through suitable utilization of the by-products. Linter, cotton seed and stalks are the main byproducts of cotton fibre. From cotton seeds, oil can be produced. Cotton stalks can be used for the production of various materials. Nowadays, research on production of composites using cotton stalks is under consideration (Jan, 2009). 

Table 8.10 The antibacterial effects of cotton stalk lignins and their extraction chemicals against both E. coli and B. pumilus in liquid medium after 24 h incubation [144]...

Lignin A lignin isolated from cotton stalks by Zllllox and Debelre (1998) method (24 % KOH + 1 % NaBH4 + acetic acid + ethanol) [145]... 

Birehwood and wheat bran Tobacco stalk, cotton stalk. Sunflower stalk and wheat straw Barley husks... 

While others may exist, a choice was made to only discuss bagasse, cereal straw, coconut coir, corn stalks, cotton stalks, jute, kenaf and rice husks [3, 4]. 

Ficus carica Corn stalks Cotton stalk peel Walnut shell (Juglans regia)... 

Acrylic acid-grafted F. carica fibers Amine-grafted com stalks Amine-grafted cotton stalk fibers Citric acid treated walnut shell 3.50 4.00 5.12 2.00 28.90 200.00 129.0 30.99 Lo/j 1104] [117] [128] n oQi... 

Reddy N, Yang YQ. Properties and potential applications of natural cellulose fibers from the bark of cotton stalks. Bioresour Technol 2009 100 3563-3589. 

Particleboards Wood particles, shives of flax flakes, saw dust, bagasse, hemp, kenaf, jute, cereal straw, coconut coir, corn and cotton stalks, rice husks, vetiver roots, and other fiber sources Urea, melamine, phenol formaldehyde resin, isocyanate, resorcinol, vinyl polyacetate resins and natural polymers, tannins, protein, casein, soybeans, modified starch, lignin activated by enzymatic system polylactic and polyhydroxyhutyric acid... 

Binod, R, M. Kuttiraja, M. Archana, K. U. Janu, R. Sindhu, R. K. Sukumaran and A. Pandey (2012). High temperature pretreatment and hydrolysis of cotton stalk for producing sugars for bioethanol... 

Silverstein, R. A., Y. Chen, R. R. Sharma-Shivappa, M. D. Boyette and J. Osborne (2007). A comparison of chemical pretreatment methods for improving sacchariUcation of cotton stalks. Bioresource Technology 9S(16) 3000-3011. 

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