Cotton Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 95-106 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/cgg 99 notarization inspection". The national fiber inspection agency samples each bale of lint for sale, and the centralized laboratory uses HVI for testing, and the results are used as the basis for quality inspection and trade settlement. After years of practical verification, the HVI test results of various laboratories have maintained good consistency and accuracy. This shows that instrumental testing technology can meet the requirements of cotton quality evaluation (Turner et al., 2022). At the same time, some more sophisticated testing technologies are also being studied and applied. For example, AFIS (single fiber comprehensive analyzer) for fiber fineness and maturity analysis can provide more in-depth information such as fiber diameter distribution and short fiber content, which helps spinning mills optimize process parameters (Li et al., 2023). Another example is the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to quickly determine chemical indicators such as sugar content and wax content of cotton fibers, providing a basis for storage and dyeing performance evaluation. In addition, for the detection of foreign fibers (plastic fibers, chemical fibers and other mixed materials), in addition to manual sorting, professional instruments and equipment (such as foreign fiber detectors) have also appeared to achieve automatic identification and alarm through optical imaging and machine learning algorithms. Overall, fiber quality parameter testing technology is developing in the direction of automation and intelligence, and multi-dimensional data collection provides more comprehensive support for cotton quality assessment. 4.2 Digital monitoring and traceability system With the development of the Internet of Things and big data technology, the quality monitoring of cotton post-harvest has gradually been digitized and informationized. In modern cotton ginning plants, key equipment such as cotton cleaning machines, sawtooth cotton gins, and balers are equipped with sensors and controllers to monitor parameters such as temperature, current, and vibration in real time. Once an abnormality (such as blockage or overtemperature) occurs, the system automatically alarms or shuts down to avoid quality accidents. In addition, through the workshop information management system (MIS), processing batches, equipment status, and product quality test results can be stored in association to form a complete data chain. Quality management personnel can view the processing status and test indicators of each batch of cotton in real time through the central control room to achieve full-process quality monitoring. For large-scale cotton circulation, the establishment of a traceability system is particularly important. For example, the "cotton quality traceability platform" promoted by major production areas such as Xinjiang gives each batch of lint a unique identity, and the key node information from harvesting, processing to warehousing and transportation is recorded. Once downstream users discover quality problems, they can trace back to the source processing company and batch data through the traceability system (Hardin et al., 2015). Internationally, the "Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)" has built a global cotton traceability system. Suppliers in the supply chain register transaction information on the BCI platform to track the source and content of physical "good cotton", extending from the cotton ginning plant to the brand retailer. This chain monitoring effectively improves the transparency and trust of the supply chain. China's sustainable cotton project is also drawing on similar practices, integrating data from the production environment, quality inspection and circulation process to create a quality archive "from field to spinning mill". At the domestic standard level, local standards have required cotton processing companies to establish a quality traceability system to record and analyze seed cotton purchase inspection data and grading and processing procedures. Through digital monitoring and traceability systems, early warning, prevention and control, and closed-loop management of cotton quality issues can be achieved, which is of great significance to improving the quality management level of the entire industry. 4.3 Certification mechanism The cotton quality certification system helps to standardize industry standards and improve market recognition of high-quality cotton. There are currently many cotton-related certifications in the world. In addition to the aforementioned Better Cotton (focusing on sustainable planting and supply chain management), there are also organic cotton certification (ensuring that chemical synthetic pesticides and genetically modified seeds are not used in the production process of cotton) (Partzsch et al., 2019), OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (detection of harmful substances in textile raw materials), etc. These certification mechanisms provide quality and credibility guarantees for downstream buyers. In China, cotton is mainly graded by national standards (such as GB 1103 "Sawtooth
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==