Jute Crop Details for Exam

Long, smooth, and lustrous, jute is a bast fibre that may be spun into strong, coarse threads. It is made from flowering plants of the genus Corchorus, which are from the Malvaceae family of mallows. Although Corchorus olitorius is the main source of the fibre, Corchorus capsularis is thought to produce superior fibre. The plant or fibre is known as “jute” is what is used to create burlap, hessian, or gunny cloth. Jute is an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic fibres and usually lasts much longer than the synthetic fibres used for similar purposes as that of jute.

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About Jute

Jute is one of the most relatively affordable natural fibres and is only surpassed by cotton in terms of production volume and range of applications. Cellulose and lignin are two components of plants that are typically found in jute fibres. Jute fibre is a type of bast fibre, which also includes kenaf, industrial hemp, flax (linen), ramie, and other fibres harvested from the plant’s bast, sometimes known as the “skin”. Jute fibre is known as raw jute in the industrial world. The 1 – 4 metres (3 – 13 feet) long fibres range in colour from off-white to brown. Because of its hue and high monetary value, jute is also known as the “golden fibre”.

History of Jute

Since the third millennium BC, jute was utilised to create textiles in the Indus valley civilization. Pliny noted in ancient times that Ancient Egypt consumed jute plants for food. Jews might have grown it in the Near East as well. Jute has been an essential component of Bangladeshi culture for generations, as well as in some sections of West Bengal and Assam. Jute trade was first conducted by the British throughout the seventeenth century. Jute was utilised in the armed forces during the rule of the British Empire. By processing jute and selling manufactured goods made from it, British jute barons became wealthy. By that year 1895, Bengali jute industries had surpassed the Scottish jute trade owing to the establishment of numerous jute mills there by the Dundee Jute Barons and the British East India Company. A large number of Scots moved to Bengal to start jute industries.

In addition to being used to bag cotton in the southern United States, more than a billion jute bags filled with sand were exported from Bengal to the World War I battlefields. It was employed in the fishing, building, creative, and military industries. It was once only machine processable because of its texture, but someone in Dundee found that treating it with whale oil enabled it machine processable. The trade flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries (a “jute weaver” was listed as a recognised trade occupation in the UK census of 1900), but by around 1970, the introduction of synthetic fibres had essentially put an end to this trade. Jute is once more a significant export crop in the twenty-first century, primarily in India and Bangladesh.

Jute Climate Requirements

Jute is a crop that thrives in hot, humid regions. It does best where there is an even distribution of 2,500 mm of rainfall across the crop’s vegetative development phase and no clouds. It cannot be grown in areas with a mean annual rainfall of less than 1,000 mm, continuous rain, or water logging. A mean maximum and lowest temperature of 34°C and 15°C, as well as a mean relative humidity of 65 percent, are necessary for optimum growth. The jute crop cannot grow at temperatures below 15 °C or above 43 °C. Corchorus olitorius (also known as Tossa jute) cannot survive water logging; however, C. capsularis (also known as White jute) can, although prolonged water stagnation reduces the quality of the fibre. Both species do not germinate at temperatures below 10°C.

C. olitorius is vulnerable to such high temperatures, whereas C. capsularis can tolerate a higher temperature at germination (up to 32°C). Both the Hibiscus cannabinus and the Hibiscus sabdariffa species of mesta thrive in warm, humid climates. Cannabinus mesta has a limited lifespan, is best suited for regions with more rainfall, and is less tolerant to drought. Sabdariffa mesta has a greater ability to withstand drought and a longer lifespan. The crop may grow in a temperature range of 20°C to 40°C, although 30°C to 34°C is ideal for its growth. As long as there is proper drainage, the crop may grow in locations with high rainfall. However, in low-rainfall regions, it can thrive with as little as 500 mm of annual precipitation. However, throughout the growing period, it is necessary to get between 125 and 150 mm of rain per month, evenly distributed. For greater growth, there should be sunshine and rain alternately.

Jute Soil Requirements

All types of soil, from clay to sandy loam, can be used to grow jute, but loamy alluvial soils work best. The soil types of laterite and gravel are unsuitable for this crop. The finest soils for jute production are the fresh, grey, deep alluvial soils that receive silt from the yearly floods. The acceptable range of soil response is between 5.0 and 7.4. Crops should not be grown on soils with an acidic pH (4.5), a shallow effective soil depth (50 cm), electrical conductivity (>2 dS/m), or an exchangeable sodium percentage (>15). On old alluvial soils in Bihar, mildly acidic soils in Assam and Orissa, and light alkaline soils in the Tarai areas of Uttar Pradesh, the crop is effectively grown. For C. capsularis and C. olitorius, it has been found that clay loam and sandy loam are the best soil types.

Jute Farming Techniques

Jute can be sown using either the broadcast approach or the line method. For line sowing, the field is properly prepared, and sowing is carried out using a mechanical method, such as a seed drill, with the plant to plant spacing being kept at 5 to 7 cm and row to row spacing being 30 cm for Capsularis and 25 cm for Olitorius. The sowing depth is kept between 2.5 and 3 cm. Mesta is commonly sown using the broadcasting technique. However, it is advised to seed the crop in a straight line as a criterion for increased production technology. The use of a seed drill is necessary for line sowing.

Certain benefits of line sowing over broadcasting include:

• Plant development is uniform because the uniform spacing is maintained.
• Intercultural tasks like hoeing and weeding become simpler and less expensive.
• It is simpler to apply pesticides and top-dress with fertiliser.
• 15-20% more yield is produced, there is less seed used, etc.

One of the crops that fit into crop rotation the best is jute. Since the crop’s harvesting period is flexible, it can be incorporated into a variety of crop rotations. In addition, losing jute leaves increases the fertility of the soil.

Jute Physiology

Jute is a type of herb. Its root system is a taproot network (many branches produced), an adventitious root developed in the case of C. capsularis. The stem is Herbaceous, cylindrical, erect,  firm, slender, branching near the top, smooth at the top but rough at the bottom, and green in colour and mucilaginous.

Leaves are simple, alternating, deciduous, petiolate, long petiole, margin serrated, auriculate, bottom two serrations elongated into fine pointed auricles, acuminate apex, and venation reticulate. Flowers are solitary or sparsely cymes that grow opposing leaves. Jute plant bears complete, pedicellate, bracteate, tiny, bisexual, regular, (actinomorphic, pentamerous, yellow in hue) flower. Calyx has Aestivation velvet, 5 sepals, polysepalous, thin, and green in hue. Petal count is 5, it is polypetalous, with imbricate aestivation.

The androecium is numerous, polyandrous stamen, with long, thin filament, small, kidney-shaped, two-lobed anthers. The gynoecium is short, capitate, ovary superior, with 5-locular, many ovules, and five syncarpous carpels,

Jute Crop Harvesting

Jute’s fibre is what gives it value. The maturity of the plants affects both the amount and quality of the fibres. Therefore, picking the right harvesting time is crucial. From the bud stage until the immature fruits have just begun to set, jute plants can be picked. The plants reach their peak height at this point, and fibre extraction is simple. The fibres that are produced have minimal roots, maximum length, good colour, and regular quality. When the fruits have developed completely, jute can also be collected. The yield of the fibre is higher at this stage, but retting is time-consuming and the fibre is noticeably harsh. The roots are more obvious, and the fibres have a poor lustre.

Jute Crop Diseases

The most significant jute disease is stem rot, which is brought on by the Macrophomina phaseolina. Other diseases include Hooghly Wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum, Meloidogyne incognita, Rhizoctonia bataticola, and Fusarium complex), the Black band (Botryodiplodia theobromae), Soft rot (Sclerotium rolfsii), Jute Mosaic (begomovirus), and Anthracnose (Colletotrichum corchorum and C. gloeosporioides).

Jute Growing Environments

Environmental factors, soil characteristics, biotic conditions, and cultural practices all have an impact on the growth and output of jute. Rainfall and water, temperature, photoperiod, solar radiation, and, occasionally, tropical storms are all important impacts. The term “soil factors” describes the type of soil and its location in uplands or lowlands. Weeds, insects, illnesses, and different crop varieties are all dealt with by biotic factors. Depending on the water supply, different conditions can be used to grow jute. Soft water is necessary for jute production. The jute crop can be cultivated in low, medium, and high land conditions, as well as in situations where there is a water standstill and moisture stress. While Tossa Jute favours medium and high land situations, White Jute may be grown relatively in low land situations. The soil is acidic in nature across a large portion of the Jute region, especially in North Bengal, Bihar, and the North-Eastern States.

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Jute Economy

Contrary to cotton, which has high fertiliser and pesticide requirements, jute is a rain-fed crop with minimal needs. In India, West Bengal is where most of the production is centred. India is the biggest jute producer in the world, yet in 2011 it imported about 162,000 tonnes of raw fibre and 175,000 tonnes of jute goods. Bangladesh is a major supplier of jute fibre and goods to countries including India, Pakistan, China, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, France, Spain, Ivory Coast, Germany, and Brazil.

Top 10 Jute Producing Countries

1. India
2. Bangladesh
3. China
4. Uzbekistan
5. Nepal
6. South Sudan
7. Zimbabwe
8. Egypt
9. Brazil
10. Bhutan

Top Jute Producing States in India

While West Bengal has historically been the largest jute-producing state in India, other states are catching up.

1. West Bengal
2. Bihar
3. Andhra Pradesh
4. Assam
5. Odisha
6. Nagaland
7. Meghalaya
8. Tripura
9. Uttar Pradesh
10. Jharkhand

Major Jute Producing States in India

Eastern and north-eastern India are the regions with the highest concentration of jute is grown.

Image Credit: farmer.gov.in

Indian Jute Growing Zones

Jute as a Food

Mulukhiya, which is sometimes regarded as the national dish of Egypt but is also popular in Cyprus and other Middle Eastern nations, is made from the leaves of the Corchous olitorius plant. It is a component of stews, which are frequently made with lamb or chicken. Corchorus olitorius leaves are cooked in a thick soup called ewedu in Nigeria together with other ingredients such as sweet potatoes, dried tiny fish, and shrimp. Before including the leaves in the soup, the leaves are rubbed till frothy or sticky. The soup typically includes components like meat or fish, pepper, onions, and spices. The cook shreds jute leaves and adds them to the soup. The Lugbara people of Northwestern Uganda also consume the leaves in a soup known as pala bi. This vegetable locally called as saluyot can be combined with bitter gourd, bamboo shoots, loofah, or occasionally all of them in the Philippines, particularly in Ilocano-dominated areas. The feel of these is slimy and slick.

Jute Environmental Effects

When grown in rotation with another crop, jute is a natural fibre that does not necessarily harm the environment. It also contributes to soil replenishment and promotes soil fertility. Jute leaves act as insecticides and their roots boost fertility. Jute’s woody stalk is used to make composite materials and as fuel, which helps stop deforestation (alternative to wood). However, if fertilisers or pesticides are employed in farming, these dangerous chemicals have a possibility to get into water supplies and subsequently the biosphere. Jute also contributes to the maintenance of the ozone layer by releasing oxygen into the environment while absorbing carbon dioxide. Jute is also used to make geotextiles, biogas, and biodegradable goods with minimal environmental impact.

Jute fibre is entirely recyclable and biodegradable, making it eco-friendly. About 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide are consumed and 11 tonnes of oxygen are released per hectare of jute plants. Jute cultivation in crop rotations improves the soil’s fertility for the following crop. When burned, jute does not release any harmful fumes.

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