Plant fibers

HNGU PATAN.
m.sc sem 3 botany
cbo - 502

1. Plant fibers

2. Contents : Textile Fiber : Cannabis Cordage Fiber : Coir Stuffing Fiber : Silk Cotton

3. Textile fiber : cannabis CLASSIFICATION Botanical Name : Cannabis sativa Linn. Local Name : Bhang , Kanghi , Hemp Family : Cannabiaceae Useful Organ : Stem

4. History and origin: Hemp is one of the oldest textile known to mankind. It probably originated in central and western Asia, whence it spread to China, having been grown there as a fiber crop, perhaps for more than 4500 years. It was introduced into Europe by the scythians about 1500 B.C.

5. Botanical description The hemp plant is a stout annual herb of 1-2 m in height with compound leaves. The plants are dioecious with male flowers in long drooping axillary and terminal panicles and female flower in short axillary leaf spike. The fruit is an achene. All plant parts are densely clothed with glandular hairs. Hemp fiber is white bast which develops in pericycle . Its length varies 0.9 to 1.5 m.

6. Production Hemp grows in nearly all temperate region of the total worlds production of 255,528 tones during 1973 – 74. The Soviet Union alone contributed 75,000 t i.e. nearly one third of the world’s output. Hemp is also produced commercially in India, China, Japan, Peru, Iran and Turkey. Italy and Yugoslavia are the two chief exporting countries, the former has earned the reputation of producing the best quality fiber.

7. Area production ( fiber & tow ) and yield per hector (1973-1974)* continent / country Average (ha) Production (t) Yield (kg/ha) South America 3500 3200 914 Asia 1,80,700 98,260 544 Europe 78,636 79,068 1005 USSRR 1,70,000 75,000 441 World total 432,836 2,55,528 590

8. Cultivation For the production of fiber, hemp is grown mainly in temperate countries. It can be grown over a wide range of climates and soil but, for best development, it requires mild humid climate with at least four frost free months, an average temperature between 17 and 27 c during the growing season the rain fall and a rich loamy soil with good natural drainage.

9. Harvesting and processing The best grade fiber is obtained from the male plant. Harvesting is done when the male flowers are beginning to shed pollen. The plants are chopped of by hand about 2 to 3 cm above ground level with a hemp knife and the cut stems are spread on the ground for drying . The fiber extraction process is similar to the flax. The average fiber yield in all cases is about 25% of the dried stalk.

10. Harvesting and processing

11. uses It is highly valued for the manufacture of ropes, carpets, soil-cloth, yachet cordage, binder turine, sacks, bags, etc. Hamp waste is sometime used in the manufacture of paper. seeds are chiefly used to make hempseed oil which can be used for cooking, lamps, and paints. The flowers contain psycoactive chemical compound known as cannabinoids that are consumed for recreational, meditional, and spiriutual purposes.

12. uses of cannabis

13. Cordage fiber : coir CLASSIFICATION Botanical Name : Cocous nucifera Linn. Local name : Nariel ,Coconut Family : Palmaceae ( Arecaceae) Useful organ : Stem

14. History and discovery Coir industry has a chequered history dating back to 3000 BC. James Darragh an American of Irish origin in 1859 set up a coir factory in Kerala and initiated to develop the unorganized coir industry in to an organize one on factory line. They collected ordered for coir from there own countries and supplied coir and coir products produced and manufactured in India . The golden textured Kerala coir fiber which earned the unofficial brand name golden fiber. Captured European and world markets in no time.

15. Botanical description The coconut palm is tall, unbranched attaining a high of 10-25 mm. The trunk is straight or slightly, curved marked with ring like leaf scars. The stem apex is crowned by 20-30 cm large, pari-pinnate leaves 18-60 cm long. The flower are covered by boat like spathes, the latter are arranged in a spadix inflorecence. The tree is monoecious and the both male and female flowers are formed on the same inflorescence.

16. The fruit is ovoid fibrous drupe 20-30 cm long it is differentiated into an outer thick exocarp, middle fibrous mesocarp and inner stony endocarp. The cavity of the nut is partially filled with “ coconut milk” representing the liquid endosperm.

17. cultivation It is chiefly cultivated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For vigorous growth and good yield the plant required planty of sun light an average temperature between 27 to 32 c and a well distributed annual rainfall of 130 to 250 cm. There are two distinct varieties of coconut palm tall and dwarf. The tall variety is more suited fore commercial cultivation in large plantations. The fruits are harvested when still green to obtain the best quality of coir.

18. cultivation of coir plant

19. Production At the present, India is the principle producer and exporter of coir products, followed by Sri-lanka. Coir production is very small in India , about 40% of 5000 million or so nuts produced annually are used for fiber production. Sri-lanka’s coir industry on the other hand consists chiefly or mechanically separated bristle and mattresses husks that are left after copra extraction. European countries and the USA are the largest importer of coir and coir products.

20. Harvesting & processing The fruits are harvested when still green to obtain the best quality coir. Early harvesting yields weak fibers while delayed picking produces hard and dark brown fiber, which is difficult to twist and is mostly used for upholstery work and brush making. The fruit is dehusked in two ways by ramming the coconuts against a sharp iron spike fixed firmly in the ground at an inclined level and splitting the husk into three or four pieces or by splitting with a cutlass and with the help of bursting machines, which is mostly practiced in sri-lanka.

21. The finest grade fiber is obtained from husks retted in tidal creeks where the water moves slowly with the rising and falling tide. For the manufacture of coir yarn, the retting process is continued for 8-9 months or even longer in India , but for the production of bristle and mattress fibres as practiced Sri-lanka , the husk is retted for just two weeks. In Sri-lanka, specially designed machines are used to disintrigrate the coconut husk.

22. Uses The tender nut are demand for their liquid which provides a very refreshing and delicious drink. The coconut fiber is used for making mattress, rope, nets , bags, etc. Coir is also used for bristles for brushes, dormats coarse, stuffing for rall and bus seats etc. The copra is crushed to obtain coconut oil which is in great demand for edible purpose. The coconut oil is an ingridient in the manufacture of shop, hair oil etc.

23. Stuffing fiber : silk cotton Types of silk cotton 1] Red silk cotton 2] White silk cotton

24. 1] Red silk cotton Classification Scientific name : Bombex ceiba Linn Local name : Shimalo , Kapok tree, Family : Bombeceae Useful organ : Inner wall of fruit

25. Botanical description Bombax seiba known as red silk cotton tree, is large , spiny, deciduous, tree that typically matures to 60-75’ tall and 40-60’ wide. The trunk and branches bear numerous conical spines particularly when young. The leaves are palmate with about 6 leaflets radiating from a central point, the petiole is up to 16 cm long. In spring the tree is cover in large cup shaped red flowers to 20 cm diameter and these are filled with copious nectar.

26. Cont… The numerous stamens have red filaments and are tipped with black anther. The fruit is brown capsule to 15 mm long, filled with numerous black seed that are covered in fine silky hairs. New leaves usually do not appear until flowering is over.

27. uses The floss is used for stuffing pillows, cushions, mattresses , etc. Floss is also used for stuffing life belts upholstery and quilts. Also used as an insulation material for refrigerators, sound proof covers and walls. It is better than cotton wool for packing fragile. Fiber is spun into yarn used for the manufacture of plushes.

28. Uses of red silk cotton

29. 2 ] White silk cotton : Classification Scientific name : Cochlospermem religiosum L Local name : Pilikapas Family : Cochlospermeceae Useful organ : plant fiber

30. Botanical description The grow to 70 m with a trunk up to 3 m in diameter with buttresses. The trunk and many of the large branches are often crowed with large simple thorns. The palmate leaves are composed of 5 to 9 leaflet, each up to 20 cm long. The trees produce several hundred 15 cm pods containing seeds surrounded by fluffy , yellowish fiber that is mix of lignin & cellulose.

31. uses The fiber is used as stuffing material. It is cushions, pillows etc. The tree also yield an edible gum. The gum is used as a substitute for dressing and ice-cream industry. It is used as silk cloth material like dresses. The seeds contain a non-drying oil reported in Indian material to amount to 14-15% and to be usable in soap manufacture.

32. Uses of white silk cotton

33. References Economic Botany By S. L. Kochhar Economic Botany By B. P. Pandey www. image of cannabis ,coir and silk cotton.in