KUALITAS SERAT LIMA KLON TANAMAN RAMI (Boehmeria nivea L.GAUD)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The aim of study was to compare the quality of hemp fiber from first week to eighth week observed as textile raw materials. The study was conducted on five clones of the hemp plant (Boehmeria nivea L.Gaud) derived from hemp collections at the Research Institute for Tobacco and Fiber (BALITTAS), Malang. Clones of Lembang A, Indochina, Ramindo 1, Padang 3, and Bandung A were capable of living in lowland about 265-350 m above sea level at Limau Manis, Andalas University, Padang. The results obtained were: the average of fiber length of five clones hemp were 1246.27 to 3175.75; the cell wall thickness were about 5.11 to 6.51; the fiber diameter were 15.39 to 18.65, the lumen were 10.27 to 12.14; Runkel ratio (number Runkel) were 0.95 to 1.18, felting power (power loom) were 76.96 to 170.65, flexibility ratio (ratio flexibility) were 0.63 to 0.71, coefficient of rigidity (stiffness coefficient) were 0.33 to 0.37, and muhlsteph ratio (ratio muhlsteph) were 47.81 to 62.85. The class quality of Lembang was included into class II, while Indochina, Ramindo, Padang and Bandung were counted to class III. Quality of class II fiber with medium to long fibers, has thin cell walls and the lumen rather wide, easy to squash when ground and the bond of fibers was well, slabs produced were with tear crack strength and pull with quite high. Whereas, the third grade, wood fiber was short to medium-sized, cell wall and lumen were medium, easy to flat and the bonds between the fibers were still well, produced slabs with medium of tear crack strength, and pull.

Keywords: Quality of Fiber, Hemp Plant