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Fibre
'Cotton' is the
world's greatest industrial crop. Reference of cotton are found in Greek and Roman literature.
In India, Cotton was used from 1,800 BC. Cotton is obtained from quiet a number of species of
Gossypium; it belongs to the family 'Malvaceae'. The fine fibre hairs on the seed surface
constitute the raw material. The length of the staple depends on the quality, which varies
from species to species. Cotton is an annual crop, but the tree cotton is also known. The
cultivation of commercial cotton belongs to one of the below mentioned four species.
Gossypium barbadense
-Sea island Cotton
-New World Cotton
Gossypium hirsutum
-Upland Cotton
-New World Cotton
Gossypium arboreum
-Tree Cotton
-Old World Cotton
Gossypium herbaceum
-Asiatic Cotton
-Old World Cotton
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Gossypium arboreum
Tree Cotton
This species is commonly known as the
'Tree cotton'. It is the Old world Cotton and is either Asiatic or African origin. In the wild
state the plant is perennial, branched, but the cultivated ones are annuals. It grows to a
height of more than two meters, the leaves are five to seven lobed; the fruits are tapering
and are profusely pitted with prominent oil glands present in the pits.
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Saccharum officinarum
Sugarcane
'Sugarcane' is the principal source
of sugar. They are called industrial plants since the entire sugar industry is dependent on
them. The best production of sugarcane is in tropics, cultivated chiefly in India, Cuba,
Brazil, Philippines, Australia and U.S.A. Its botanical name is 'Saccharum officinarum'; it
belongs to the family 'Poaceae'. The plant is a strong cane-stemmed grass from 8-12' height;
the stem is solid and jointed. At the terminal the stem produces a large feathery
inflorescence. The expressed juice from the stem is boiled down, crystallised and refined and
the end product is called 'sugar'. The refuse of the sugarcane mill has been recommended as a
paper material. The root of the sugarcane is said to have been employed in medicine and is
considered to be demulcent and diuretic. Leaves are employed as fodder.
Sugarcane : Inflorescence
The light silvery-tan coloured inflorescence, commonly refered
as 'tassel' or an 'arrow', is an open feathery or woolly panicle about 0.3 - 0.6 metres in
length. The flowers are produced in paired spikelets, the lower being sessile while the upper
spikelet is stalked. Both Spikelets are surrounded at the base by a ring of long
inflorescence, which is kept in Sugarcane show-case in the Economic Botany Gallery.
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Sugarcane
varieties
Hybrid varieties of sugarcane are the result of cross between the soft noble
cane and the hardy wild canes, usually followed by one or more crossing of the hybrid with
these varieties. These are resistant to disease, drought and other unfavourable conditions,
which is very useful to the farmers. The following varieties are exhibited in the sugarcane
showcase of the Economic Botany Gallery.
CO - 770
CO - 772
CO - 773
CO - 776
CO - 419 |
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Economic
Botany