Abstract
Abnormalities in cotton fibers and seed formation produce materials that cause defects during production of textiles. The source of some of these defects has been traced to motes and mote, or undeveloped, fibers. Structures of motes and mote fibers are shown using light and electron microscopy. Bolls collected from normal. stressed, and diseased plants are compared for numbers and kinds of motes. Small motes are difficult to separate from fiber bundles after boll opening. Large motes have undevel oped embryos and break apart more readily than do normally developed seeds. Mote fibers may develop into long, hollow tubes without secondary cellulose layers. These flat fibers contain little cellulose compared to fully developed fibers. Both the chemical and physical structures of motes and mote fibers contribute to defects in textile products.
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