Effect of Different Harvesting Time and Stem Height on Kenaf Bast Fiber Characteristics
Wiwin Suwinarti and Kazuhiko Sameshima
Faculty of Agriculture, Kochi University, Japan
The main objective of this research is to know the distribution of viscosity and fiber length along a stem height and the harvesting time difference. Kenaf bast fiber was treated by a sequence treatment of ammonium oxalate, sodium hydroxide and acidic sodium chlorite (A) and acidic sodium chlorite, ammonium oxalate and sodium hydroxide (B). The agronomic and pulp characteristics were examined. The result showed the viscosity and the fiber length was affected by the harvesting time. The sample of 153 days after seeding gave much higher viscosity but shorter fiber length than those of 80 and 116 days after seeding. The higher section has lower viscosity but longer fiber length. This study also confirmed that the method A is the best method for high viscosity bast pulp production while the method B is the best method for fiber length preservation.
Keywords: Kenaf bast fiber, harvesting time, stem height, viscosity, fiber length
(International Wood Science Symposium at Bali-Indonesia, August 2005)
