CSITC complete 22nd round of trail on cotton testing

During the Round Trial, 67 testing facilities from all continents submitted results from 112 instruments. With a median evaluation of 0.46, the results of this Round Trial were among the best since the start in 2007. A full summary and the General Evaluation Report can be seen at csitc.org.

This is the first CSITC Round Trial series conducted without public funding, but solely financed by the participation fees.

Each round trial consists of five samples prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and sent to participating laboratories. Each sample is tested in each laboratory six times a day for five days for all six CSITC parameters of micronaire, length, length uniformity, strength, Rd and +b, resulting in a total of 900 measurements from each instrument.

Results are downloaded electronically and sent to the Bremen Fibre Institute for evaluation. Because of the large number of observations over a five-day period, the resulting pattern of results can be used for detailed diagnostic evaluation.

Laboratories are not given grades or pass/fail results, and all results are confidential. The purpose of CSITC round trials are to facilitate improvements in both accuracy and precision among cotton testing laboratories around the world.

Laboratories are given an overall ranking, as well as rankings for performance on each of the six parameters. Rankings are based on the results of each lab in coming closest to the mean (average) values for all laboratories participating in the Round Trial on all six parameters.

Laboratories are also being informed as to what proportion of their test results are within a given limit for each parameter. This information provides additional practical information that will be useful in improving testing performance.

Average Percent of Results or Instruments Testing Within Established Limits:

Property Limit chosen by CSITC Average % of results inside the limits % of instruments with all sample results inside the limits Average % of results inside the limits % of instruments with 95% of sample results inside the limits.

The next meeting of the Task Force on CSITC is scheduled for Tuesday, October 9, 2012 in Interlaken, Switzerland during the 71st Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee. The Task Force governs all aspects of the work of CSITC, including the conduct of the Round Trials. Observers are welcome at CSITC meetings.

International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)