Fiber crops, Importance of fiber crops, fiber crop production,
Abaca, cotton, ramie, maguey, and pineapple are among the many crops that can supply fiber for domestic and international markets. Others sources of fiber are silkworm, other trees, and animals. However, local textile millers are still importing tons of these raw materials due to very low production in the country. This is due to the fact that this fiber products are not very salable if not produced in commercial volume. Thus, small farmers prefer to raise food crops instead of fiber crops.
Fiber crop production bright prospects to offer;
- Fiber has a variety of uses.
- Local textile manufacturers have been importing raw materials due to very low fiber production.
- There is an increasing demand for fiber crop products.
- We have available technologies for fiber crop production and processing.
- Types and varieties of fiber crops which are adaptable to Philippines climatic conditions are readily available.
- The government is now very supportive in developing our fiber industry.
- Modern machinery for processing fibers are now available in the country.
Classification of Fibers
- Textile fibers. This type is used for making clothing, fabrics, sacks for agricultural purposes and other useful commodities.
- Cordage fibers. This type of fiber is used for making rope or twine.
- Brush fibers. These are used for making brooms and brushes.
- Filling fibers. These are used for stuffing pillows, mattresses, and upholstery cushions.
- Natural fibers. These are prepared from best plant tissues removed in sheets from trunks of trees and pounded to spread the fibers into a textile-like natural cloth called bark cloth.
Uses of Fibers
Types and varieties of Fiber Crops
Abaca. This plant is a native fiber crop of the Philippines. The varieties of abaca existing today are descriptive of the size and color of the stalks, quality of the leaf sheaths, type of fruit, and quality of fiber produced.
The most important varieties of abaca that grown and name according to region they were produced,
Pineapple:The only variety of pineapple which is commonly raised for fiber production is the cabezine or the queen variety. The cabezine variety has smaller crown but has long and spiny leaves.
Ramie. This fiber-yielding plant is botanically known as Boehmeria nivea. The only variety of Ramie that grows best under Philippine conditions is the China grass which extensively grown in different parts of the country.
Jute. The jute plant that are known in the Philippines are lumbay, panigbin, and the variety called sumpa in Visaya and Pasao na Bilog in Tagalog. The fiber of this varieties are used chiefly in the manufacture of coarse fabrics such as sacks, gunny cloth, gunny bags, carpets, matting and backing for linoleum, and oil cloth.
In choosing a variety of fiber crop, however, select planting materials with following characteristics:
Land Preparation. Fiber crops require thorough land preparation before planting. Except the abaca which can be planted after one tillage operation, other fiber crops require at least two rounds of plowing and harrowing.
Preparation of planting materials, planting, and transplanting
Abaca. is propagated by seed pieces or root stock. The seed pieces should be dipped in Chlordane or Furadan solution before planting to ensure healthy growth.
Cotton. is propagated by means of seeds. Before sowing, the seed should be treated with a combination of Orthane and allyl alcohol following the recommended dosage.
Pineapple. The planting materials for pineapple usually consist of crowns, slips, and suckers. Suckers are the most commonly used by local farmers because these bear fruit earlier as compared to plants grown from crowns and slips.
Ramie. can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, and root stock. For practical purposes however, propagating thru the root-stock is preferred to ensure a mortality rate which is less than 5 percent.
Jute. is propagated by seeds which are either broadcast or drilled on thoroughly prepared soil during a clear and sunny day during the months of May or June.
Application of Fertilizer
In the absence of comprehensive soil testing and analysis, the recommendation of a certified farm technician can be resorted to.
The farmer can also adapt the following general recommendations for the different fiber crops;
1. Abaca. Application of fertilizers for new and old abaca plantations vary such as follows:
Plants applied with nitrogenous fertilizers grow vigorously and produce large fruit.
4. Ramie and Jute. These are ready for harvesting three to four months after planting thus a single application of fertilizer is sufficient either as basal application or side-dressing. If side-dressing alone is desired, fertilizer application should be done when the plants are about one to two weeks old.
Irrigation. Fiber crops not planted during rainy season need adequate supply of water. Water is necessary during the time of planting and transplanting and during the growth and development of fiber crops especially for cotton, ramie, and jute. Pineapple and abaca requires less water when fully grown.
Water for the crops can be applied through overhead irrigation, surface irrigation, and sub-surface irrigation.
Weed Control. Systematic weeding of fiber crops should be done to ensure a good harvest. Weeds can be controlled by using clean planting materials, preparing the soil thoroughly, practicing crop rotation and cover cropping, using chemicals, and by mechanical means.
Crop Protection. Insect pest and diseases are the worst enemies of fiber crops because they affect the fiber quality and quantity of production. In some cases they totally wipe out the crop and render no harvest. To prevent this problem, the farmer must have a good prevention and control program. This could be done by exclusion through plant quarantine and inspection, eradication by destroying the diseases causing organism, inhibition by making conditions unfavorable for the development of diseases through thinning, correcting soil reaction, and exposure to sunlight, protection by means of cultural methods, crop rotation and field sanitation, seed selection and treatment, soil sterilization, and planting resistant varieties or bu immunization.
Harvesting, Post-Harvest Handling, and Marketing of Fiber Crops
Abaca. The first harvest of abaca starts 18 to 20 months after initial planting. When the flower begin to appear the stalks are ready for harvesting. Mature abaca consist of of a group or cluster of 12 to 30 or more stalks. Cutting is done 6 to 8cm from the root crown.
The stalks undergo the following processes in extracting the abaca fibers.
1. Piling. the harvested stalks are piled in a convenient place where they can be immediately splitted into tuxies.
2. Striping. this can be done either by hand or by machine.
3. Drying. Fibers can either be sun-dried or air-dried in a shaded area free from other foreign particles.
4. Grading and storing. The fiber are grouped and tied according to their class and stored in a safe place or processed into rope or any finished product.
Cotton. The first picking of cotton balls is done four months after sowing, and subsequently at five to seven days interval. Cotton balls are mature when these turn brown, cracks can be seen.
Pineapple. Harvesting pineapple leaves for fiber production is done when the plants starts to bear fruits. Mature leaves at the base of the plant are harvested first.
Ramie. Harvesting ramie can be done two to three months after planting. The entire plants are cut close to the ground with a sharp bolo. The stalks are piled in small bundles and the outer layer of the bark is immediately removed or decorticated.
Jute. In harvesting jute for fiber, the stems are cut near the roots or pulled by hand. The stems are then bundled into convenient sizes for retting. In retting process, the stems are soaked in a chemically treated solution to loosen the fibers from the woody tissue.
Marketing Fibers
Fibers are either marketed domestically or internationally. High-grade abaca and cotton are exported while low-grade fibers are excellent raw materials for local producers of ropes, strings, fabrics, slippers, bags, placemats, sacks, decorative items, and other finished products.
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- Woven into cloth.
- Made into rags.
- Prepared as wall decor.
- Processed and made into slippers.
- Made into bags.
- Source of pulp for paper making.
- Manufactured into burlap for bags and sacks.
- Used as twine and backing for linoleum.
- Used for rope making.
- Used for making brooms and brushes.
- Used as stuffing for pillows, mattresses, and upholstery cushions.
- Used as insulation is sleeping bags and coats.
Types and varieties of Fiber Crops
Abaca. This plant is a native fiber crop of the Philippines. The varieties of abaca existing today are descriptive of the size and color of the stalks, quality of the leaf sheaths, type of fruit, and quality of fiber produced.
The most important varieties of abaca that grown and name according to region they were produced,
- Bicol region: Tinawagan, Lausigon, Sagurud, and Hybrid Lausmag 24, Itolus 45, and Itolus 39.
- The Visayan: Linawagan, Minennogra, Inosa, and Hybrid Lipino, Linlib, and Linlay.
- The Mindanao: Tangongon, Bongolanon, and Maguindanao
Pineapple:The only variety of pineapple which is commonly raised for fiber production is the cabezine or the queen variety. The cabezine variety has smaller crown but has long and spiny leaves.
Ramie. This fiber-yielding plant is botanically known as Boehmeria nivea. The only variety of Ramie that grows best under Philippine conditions is the China grass which extensively grown in different parts of the country.
Jute. The jute plant that are known in the Philippines are lumbay, panigbin, and the variety called sumpa in Visaya and Pasao na Bilog in Tagalog. The fiber of this varieties are used chiefly in the manufacture of coarse fabrics such as sacks, gunny cloth, gunny bags, carpets, matting and backing for linoleum, and oil cloth.
In choosing a variety of fiber crop, however, select planting materials with following characteristics:
- Good yielders
- Well adapted to local soil and climate conditions
- Resistant to drought and winds
- Have large and tall stalks
- Early bearers
- Have a long life span.
- Have many bearing stalks at harvest time
- Have many-bearing stalks at harvest time.
Land Preparation. Fiber crops require thorough land preparation before planting. Except the abaca which can be planted after one tillage operation, other fiber crops require at least two rounds of plowing and harrowing.
Preparation of planting materials, planting, and transplanting
Abaca. is propagated by seed pieces or root stock. The seed pieces should be dipped in Chlordane or Furadan solution before planting to ensure healthy growth.
Cotton. is propagated by means of seeds. Before sowing, the seed should be treated with a combination of Orthane and allyl alcohol following the recommended dosage.
Pineapple. The planting materials for pineapple usually consist of crowns, slips, and suckers. Suckers are the most commonly used by local farmers because these bear fruit earlier as compared to plants grown from crowns and slips.
Ramie. can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, and root stock. For practical purposes however, propagating thru the root-stock is preferred to ensure a mortality rate which is less than 5 percent.
Jute. is propagated by seeds which are either broadcast or drilled on thoroughly prepared soil during a clear and sunny day during the months of May or June.
Application of Fertilizer
In the absence of comprehensive soil testing and analysis, the recommendation of a certified farm technician can be resorted to.
The farmer can also adapt the following general recommendations for the different fiber crops;
1. Abaca. Application of fertilizers for new and old abaca plantations vary such as follows:
- 3 months after planting-75g urea per hill
- 6 months after planting-150g urea per hill
- 9 months after planting-150g urea per hill
- 12 months after planting- 150g urea per hill
2. Cotton. The common practice is fertilizing cotton fields is by basal application using two to three bags of urea and side dressing using two to three bags of muriate of potash before the flowering stage.
3. Pineapple. In areas where high yields have been obtained from soils of varying levels of fertility, the following quantities of fertilizers are normally applied to the plantation of 39,000 to 41,000 plants per hectare per cropping.
- Nitrogen- 450-670kg per hectare
- Phosphorous- 70-123 kg per hectare
- Potassium- 220 to 460 kg per hectare
Plants applied with nitrogenous fertilizers grow vigorously and produce large fruit.
4. Ramie and Jute. These are ready for harvesting three to four months after planting thus a single application of fertilizer is sufficient either as basal application or side-dressing. If side-dressing alone is desired, fertilizer application should be done when the plants are about one to two weeks old.
Irrigation. Fiber crops not planted during rainy season need adequate supply of water. Water is necessary during the time of planting and transplanting and during the growth and development of fiber crops especially for cotton, ramie, and jute. Pineapple and abaca requires less water when fully grown.
Water for the crops can be applied through overhead irrigation, surface irrigation, and sub-surface irrigation.
Weed Control. Systematic weeding of fiber crops should be done to ensure a good harvest. Weeds can be controlled by using clean planting materials, preparing the soil thoroughly, practicing crop rotation and cover cropping, using chemicals, and by mechanical means.
Crop Protection. Insect pest and diseases are the worst enemies of fiber crops because they affect the fiber quality and quantity of production. In some cases they totally wipe out the crop and render no harvest. To prevent this problem, the farmer must have a good prevention and control program. This could be done by exclusion through plant quarantine and inspection, eradication by destroying the diseases causing organism, inhibition by making conditions unfavorable for the development of diseases through thinning, correcting soil reaction, and exposure to sunlight, protection by means of cultural methods, crop rotation and field sanitation, seed selection and treatment, soil sterilization, and planting resistant varieties or bu immunization.
Harvesting, Post-Harvest Handling, and Marketing of Fiber Crops
Abaca. The first harvest of abaca starts 18 to 20 months after initial planting. When the flower begin to appear the stalks are ready for harvesting. Mature abaca consist of of a group or cluster of 12 to 30 or more stalks. Cutting is done 6 to 8cm from the root crown.
The stalks undergo the following processes in extracting the abaca fibers.
1. Piling. the harvested stalks are piled in a convenient place where they can be immediately splitted into tuxies.
2. Striping. this can be done either by hand or by machine.
3. Drying. Fibers can either be sun-dried or air-dried in a shaded area free from other foreign particles.
4. Grading and storing. The fiber are grouped and tied according to their class and stored in a safe place or processed into rope or any finished product.
Cotton. The first picking of cotton balls is done four months after sowing, and subsequently at five to seven days interval. Cotton balls are mature when these turn brown, cracks can be seen.
Pineapple. Harvesting pineapple leaves for fiber production is done when the plants starts to bear fruits. Mature leaves at the base of the plant are harvested first.
Ramie. Harvesting ramie can be done two to three months after planting. The entire plants are cut close to the ground with a sharp bolo. The stalks are piled in small bundles and the outer layer of the bark is immediately removed or decorticated.
Jute. In harvesting jute for fiber, the stems are cut near the roots or pulled by hand. The stems are then bundled into convenient sizes for retting. In retting process, the stems are soaked in a chemically treated solution to loosen the fibers from the woody tissue.
Marketing Fibers
Fibers are either marketed domestically or internationally. High-grade abaca and cotton are exported while low-grade fibers are excellent raw materials for local producers of ropes, strings, fabrics, slippers, bags, placemats, sacks, decorative items, and other finished products.
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dba ang ay prang banana din?
ReplyDeletemagkano ba ang presyo ng abaca pag bininta sa ibang bansa?
ReplyDeleteano d maintindihan naman yang sinasabi mo ???????????????????? dba ang ay prang banana din
ReplyDelete