👜 Jute

Jute

• B.N: Corchorus spp.
• Family: Tiliaceae
• Origin: India
• Chromosome No.: 2n = 14
• Jute is a parenchymatus fibre.
• Jute crop does not have hybrid seeds.
• Less no. of knots in k/w superior quality.

Climate

• Jute thrives best under a warm and humid climate with temperature range from 24 to 37 °C.
• Optimum temperature being around 34 °C.

Soil

• Jute can be grown on all kinds of soils from clay to sandy loam but loamy alluvial soil suits ii most suitable.
• Laterite and gravely soils are not suitable for Jute crop.
• Normal soil pH 6-7.5.

Sowing time

• Capsularis: March-April
• Olitorious: April –May
• Generally, April sowing gives the best results in both types of Jute.

Seed rate

• Capsularis/White Jute: 6-8 kg/ha.
• Olitorious/Tossa: 4-5 kg/ha.
• Production: Green plant weight yield is 45 to 50 tonnes per hectare
• Fibre yield is 2.0 to 2.5 tonnes (20-25 q) per hectare.

Jute Species

Varieties

• JRC-321 (Sonali), JRC-212 (Sabuj sona), JRC 7447 (Shyamli), D154, Hybrid C (Padma), KC1 (Joydev) etc

Harvesting

• Ideal stage for harvesting - Small pod stage/initiation of pod formation (135-140 DAS).
• Jute is harvested any time between 120 days to 150 days when the flowers have been shed, early harvesting gives good healthy fibers.
• The plant at 8 to 12 feet high, are cut with stickles at or close the ground level.
• The harvested plants are left in field for 3 days for the leaves to shed.
• 180 kg jute fiber is called 1 bale.

  

• Steeping/Soaking: After 2-4 days of harvesting the plants are shaken for complete leaf shedding and they are tied in bundles of about 20-22 cm in diameter.

  

Retting

• Retting is a process in which the tied bundles of jute stalks are taken to the tank by which fibres get loosened and separated from the woody stalk.
• The bundles are steeped in water at least 60 cm to 100 cm depth.
• The retting process is completed in 8 to 30 days, when the barks separate out easily from the stick or wood and the fibers are ready for extraction.
• Optimum temperature for retting is about 34 °C.

Stripping (Fibre Extraction)

• Stripping is the process of removing the fibers from the stalk after the completion of retting.

  

Ribboning

• This practice is very common in China and Taiwan, but not popular in India.
• It consists of peeled out of raw bark from the green plant, immediately after harvest and bundles of- the ribbons thus obtained are retted.

Sunhemp

• Botanical Name: Crotolaria juncia
• Best and most widely used green manure crop.
• Seed rate: 15-20 kg/ha.
• It is most suitable for alkaline and water logged soil.

Linseed (Flax) – Reflax

🏃🏻 Already covered under oil-seeds section.