Download - Patuakhali Science and Technology University

Md. Resad Mallik
Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural Botany
Patuakhali Science and Technology University
Dumki, Patuakhali-8602
FIBRE AND FIBRE YIELDING PLANTS
What is fibre?
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Fibres are thread like tissues obtained from different parts of the plant body-roots, leaves,
Inflorescence, fruits and even seeds.
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The quality of fibres depends on their length, strength, fineness, lustre, durability,
elasticity with considerable magnitude of flexibility, reaction to high temperature and
water etc.
Salient features of fibres :
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Thery are sclerenchymatous cell (Exception cotton fibres are parenchymatous cells)
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Usually long cells with thick walls, correspondingly small cavities (lumen) and
tappering ends
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The walls often contain lignin as well as cellulose (eg. Cotton fibre)
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They may occur singly or in small groups but they are more likely to form sheets of
tissue with the individual cells overlapping and interlocking.
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Classification of fibres :
Description
Category
Seed fiber
Fibers collected from seeds or seed cases. e.g. cotton and kapok
Leaf fiber
Fibers collected from leaves. e.g., sansevieria, fique, sisal, banana
and agave.
Bast fiber
Fibers are collected from the skin or bast surrounding the stem of
their respective plant. These fibers have higher tensile strength than other fibers.
Therefore, these fibers are used for durable yarn, fabric, packaging, and paper. Some
examples are flax, jute, kenaf, industrial hemp, ramie, rattan, and vine fibers.
Skin fiber
Fruit fiber
Stalk fiber
Fibers are collected from the fruit of the plant, e.g. coconut
(coir) fiber.
Fibers are actually the stalks of the plant. E.g. straws of wheat, rice, barley, and other
crops including bamboo and grass. Tree wood is also such a fiber.
Classification of fibres according to their origin:
a) Soft fibre/Long fibre/Phloem or bast fibre
 Sclerenchymatous tissues of the pericycle or secondary phloem/ bast fibre of the
dicot stem.
 These fibres are capable of subdivision into exceedingly fine flexible strands.
 They are used for the best grade of fabrics and cordage.
Example1. Flax (Linum usitatissimum) Family-Linaceae
2. Hemp/Ganja plant (Cannabis sativa) Family -Cannabinaceae
3. Jute (White) (Corchorus capsularis), Family -Tiliaceae
4. Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius) Family- Tiliaceae
5. Sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea) F-Leguminosae/Fabaceae Sub-family: Papilionaceae
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6. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) Family -Malvaceae
b) Wood /Xylem fibre
 Fibre of the xylem tissue.
 Wood have about 50%-80% fibres.
 It gives rigidity to the plant body.
 Good quality wood contains high amount of libriform/fibre and small amount of wood
parenchyma
Example- Coconut (Leaf, stem, Fruit)
c) Bundle fibre
Sclerenchymatous cells associated with the vascular bundle strands in leaves
Example-Mid rib of coconut leaflet (Cocos nucifera) Family-Palmae
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d) Surface fibres/short fibres
Outgrowth of seed coat/Fruit wall
Example Cotton (Gossypium spp)-Family-malvaceae)
Gossypium herbaceum/carpus/Asiatic cotton
Gossypium arboretum/Tree cotton
Old world cotton
Gossypium barbadense/ American/Egyptian/Sea Island cotton
Gossypium hirsutum/ American upland cotton
New world cotton
Source of cotton fibre :
Outgrowth of seed coat
Lint fibre: Long fibre and easily exrtractable/separable
Fuzz fibre: Short and hardy exrtractable/separable
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Simul/Red silk cotton:
(Bombax ceiba, F- Bombacaceae
Fibre source: outgrowth of fruit wall/capsule
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The most used plant fibers are cotton, flax and hemp, although sisal, jute, kenaf, bamboo
and coconut are also widely used.
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Hemp fibers are mainly used for ropes and aerofoils because of their high suppleness and
resistance within an aggressive environment. Hemp fibers are, for example, currently used as
a seal within the heating and sanitary industries.
Classification of fibres based on their utilisation (Economic classification of fibres):
a. Textile fibres
i. Surface fibres
ii. Soft fibres
iii. Hard fibres
b. Brush fibres
c. Plaiting and rough weaving fibres
i. Filling fibres
ii. Natural fibres
iii.Papermaking fibres
iv. Miscellaneous fibres
v. Artificial/synthetic fibres
a. Textile fibres
This fibre must be long and must have a high tensile strength together with cohesiveness and
pliability. They must process a fine, uniform, lustrous staple and must be durable and readily
available.
Uses: This fibre used in the manufacture of fibres, netting and cordage.
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Fabrics include cloth for wearing appared, domestic use, awnings, sails etc.; and also
coarser materials such as gunny and burlap.
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Netting fibres are used for lace, hammocks and all forms of nets.
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Twine, binder twine, fish lines, rope, hawsers (stout rope) and cables are among many
kinds of cordage.
The chief textile fibres are included in 3 classesi. Surface fibres/short fibres: outgrowth of seedcoat and fruit wall. eg. cotton fibres, silk cotton
ii. Soft fibres/bast fibres
iii. Hard fibres/mixed fibres/structural fibres
Hard fibres/mixed fibres/structural fibres
They are structural elements found chiefly in the leaves of monocotyledons, although they may
occur in stems and fruits. They are used for the coarser textile products and cordage materials
eg. Hawsers, rope, coarse twine etc.
eg. Coir (Coconut (Cocos nucifera-Palmae)
Fibre source: greater part of the husk of the fruit.
Uses: hawsers, cables and small cordage. Coir is also used for bristles for brushes, doormats,
floor coverings, sacs, coarse textiles, upholstery, stuffing for the bearings of railroad cars and
as a suitable for Oakum. Leaf of pineapple (Ananas comosus-Bromeliaceae)
Uses: It is used for most delicate and costly fabrics.
Leaf of caroa (Neoglaziovia variegate- Bromeliaceae)
Uses: Caroa fibre is used for textiles, rugs, sacks, light cordage, twine and paper
Abaca or Manila hemp (musa textilis-Musaceae)
Fibre source: Outer portion of leafstalks.
Uses: High grade cordage especially marine cables, binder twine, bagging, strong tissue paper,
wrapping paper, sacks etc.
b. Brush fibres
These fibres must be very tough and elastic with a high degree of flexibility. These fibres are
utilized in the manufacture of brushes, brooms and whisks. In some cases whole twigs, fine
stems or roofs are utilized; in others the fibres are obtained from leafstalks
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eg. Wine palm (Raphia visifera)
Attalea funifera
Leopoldinia pissaba
Family-Palmae
Fibre source: Leaf stalks and petiole
Palmyra palm/Tal (Borassus flabellifer)-Palmae
Fibre source: Leaf stalk and midrib (machine brush)
Toddy palm (Kittul fibre )-(Caryota urens)-Palmae
Fibres source: Leaf sheath (For soft fibre)
Broomcorn plant (Sorghum vulgare var. technicum)-Family- Gramineae
Fibres source: Inflorescence (Use-brooms): harvested before flower opening.
Broomroot/Zacaton (Muhlenbergia macroura)- Gramineae
Fibres source: Roots (uses-brushes)
c. Plaiting and rough fibres
The raw materials comprise the stems of reeds, rushes, grasses, willows, bamboo, rattan
(climbing palm) and many other plants. These materials are used entire or split. They are woven
or twisted together in the simplest manner and made up into hats, sandals, mats and mattings,
screens, chair sheets, baskets, roofs of houses and other forms of wickers work.
eg. Matgrass (Cyperus tegetium)
Chinese matgrass (C. tegetiformis) Family: Cyperaceae
Source of fibre: Leaf for mats and mattings
Hogla (Typha elephartena and T. angustata-Family-Typhaceae
Fibre source: Leaf for mats and mattings
Cane/Rattan (bet)/Climbing palm (Calassus spp.) Family:Palmae
Kadam bet (C. erectus)
Nagagola bet (C. flagellum)
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Mapuri bet (C. gracilis)
Sundi bet/Gualibet (C. guruba)
Korak bet (C. latifolius)
Sanchi bet/bandhari bet (C. tenuis)
Baro bet (C. viminalis var. fasciculate)
Bamboo: Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Arundinaria, Phyllostachys spp. Family-Gramineae
eg. Guadua (Guadua angustifolia)
Bambusa tulda
Bambusa arundinaceae
Source of fibre: Stems
Uses: baskets, brushes, paper manufacture etc.
Clinogyne dichotoma (Family-Marantaceae)
Using part: Stem for Sheetal patti available in Sylhet district (Bangladesh)
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