Injection of aqueous colchicine solutions into developing cotton bolls abolished cytoplasmic microtubules in the hair cells (fibers). This treatment also deranged mi crofibrillar orientation in cell walls of the fibers. Research suggests that microtubules are responsible for the orientation of cell wall microfibrils. The tenacities of (a) col chicine-treated, (b) untreated, naturally-dried, and (c) untreated, never-dried cotton fibers were compared. The tenacity of colchicine-treated fibers was significantly lower than the other two, which were similar to each other.
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