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Ramie ( Boehmeria nivea L.): Recent technologies for commercialization of its

cultivation in North east

Article  in  Biotech Today An International Journal of Biological Sciences · January 2014

DOI: 10.5958/2322-0996.2014.00029.5

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 10.5958/2322-0996.2014.00029.5 REVIEW ARTICLE

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.): Recent technologies for

commercialization of its cultivation in North east
A.K. Sharma1*, S.P. Gawande2 and S. Satpathy
Ramie Research Station (under *CRIJAF), Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Sorbhog (Assam)-781317

Abstract
Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud) is being recognized for its strongest textile natural, bast fibre, which is ob-
tained from skin of the plant Boehmeria sp. mainly grown in temperate and tropical areas. In India Ramie is a
traditional fibre crop of northeastern states Ramie is a term appearing with increased frequency in the labeling
of sweaters and some linen-look textiles. It is also known as Chinese grass. In addition to its high value fibre it
has several other uses in paper, bio- compost, green fodder, medicinal, geotextiles and bio-composites. Recently
due the promotion of several research and developmental activities viz., TRS technology, new planting materi-
al (plantlets), new planting technique, new improved variety, modified degumming technology, winter tolerance
off-season ramie cultivation technology, herbicide tolerance, etc., the cost of ramie cultivation has been re-
duced by >50 % and the potentiality of ramie is being realized by farmers and industrialist.

Kew Word : Ramie, Herbicide tolerance, Chinese grass, Textiles.

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Introduction and lustrous with an almost silky appearance.

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Ramie is being considered as an oldest The unevenness of fiber has a strong resem-
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and valuable fibre crop and it is well known for blance to the thick and thin appearance of linen
its strongest and longest natural fibre in the but at a reduced cost. Ramie is used to make
world. Ramie fiber partakes somewhat of the several products such as industrial sewing
nature of flax or hemp. It belongs to the family thread, packing materials, fishing nets, and fil-
Urticaceae and it is being grown in North East- ter cloths. It is also made into fabrics for house-
ern states of India since a long back2,3. Ramie hold furnishings and clothing; frequently it
plant grows in the form of stalks with heart blends with other textile fibres. Ramie fibre is
shaped leaves which sprout up from an exten- used to make such products as industrial sew-
sive underground root system. The ramie stalk ing thread, packing materials, fishing nets, and
can be harvested up to six times each year in filter cloths. It is also made into fabrics for
favorable cultivating conditions, although three household furnishings (upholstery, canvas) and
to four crops of ramie annually are much more clothing, frequently in blends with other textile
common (shar. Ramie is a unique perennial fibers (for instance when used in admixture
crop producing highest green biomass per hec- with wool, shrinkage is reported to be greatly
tare/ day even under less sun light. Ramie is reduced when compared with pure wool.) The
being considered as an oldest and valuable tex- residue of ramie can be used for mushroom
tile fiber crop and it is well known as one of the cultivation. Ramie is also used as an ornamen-
strongest and longest natural fiber in the world. tal plant in eastern Asia. The textiles made
Ramie fibre is considered as strongest natural from ramie are modernly said to be disinfectant
fibres and exhibits even greater strength when or germicidal. It's this property that makes
wet. It possesses little elasticity and is some- them so resistant to rot, wet or dry, and espe-
what brittle and stiff. The fabric does seem cially good for socks, athletic wear, bandages,
much stronger and tougher than cotton. Quality hospital gowns, hospital linens, and clothing/
of ramie fiber is much better than the other nat- underwear for women prone to yeast infections.
ural fibers in many fibre quality parameters. The fabric does seem much stronger and tough-
The long, fine ramie fibres are naturally white er than cotton of the same weight and weave6.

* Corresponding Author Email : [email protected] 48

 REVIEW ARTICLE
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In order to minimize the cost of ramie the seed of another crop in between the two
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cultivation in North east and maximize the B:C rows of ramie. In the well-prepared field fur-
ratio, scientists of RRS have developed several rows are open with the furrow opener which
improved technologies during last four years opens the five numbers of furrows 18 cm wide
resulting the cost of ramie cultivation has re- and 5-6 cm deep and 52 cm apart from each
duced drastically by >50 % . The details of the other. Rhizome cuttings of 10-15 cm length are
recent improved technologies are as follows: placed in the big size furrow followed by put-
New Semi -mechanized Planting Technique ting the pressure by feet for proper adjustment
in place of manual planting of cuttings in the furrow and finally laddering
High input cost (rhizome) and high la- with the tractor complete the whole process of
bour requirement for Ramie cultivation always planting. Almost uniform sprouting has been
discourage to the small and marginal farmers of observed in the new planting technique due to
the country. Labour consumption in the exist- uniform and required planting depth as com-
ing manual planting is very high and planting pared to the existing manual planting tech-
depth in not uniform. In order to reduce the la- nique. This technique not only help to reduce
bour requirement in ramie planting RRS has 60-70 per cent labour cost but also regulate the
designed and developed the tractor operated planting depth and spacing. The new planting
furrow opener by modifying existing 9 tines technique has totally replaced the existing man-
cultivator which is 27 cm apart from each oth- ual planting. Four labours are sufficient
er. In the nine tines cultivator 5 tines were re- enough to plant one hectare of ramie in a day.
placed by the newly designed bigger size tines Time saving is an important merit of the new
of 9x18 cms tines and rest 4 tines were re- planting technique4.
moved but the tine base remained attached as Plantlets: A cost effective Alternate Planting
such which will regulate the depth of the fur- material in place of rhizome
row. Small tines bases in between big size tines Ramie is being propagating through
open small furrows, which can be used to sow rhizomes for commercial its cultivation

Biotech Today, Vol. 4, No. 2, July—December, 2014 49

 REVIEW ARTICLE

Table : Advantage of new technologies over old practices and technologies in ramie cultivation

S. Constraint Old practice /concept New Innovation /technology Additional

No cost/yield sav-
. ing

1 Planting Rhizome (8-10 q) Plantlets (60,000 nos.) 75 Per cent

material @ Rs. 25000/ha @ Rs. 6050/ha

2 Planting Manually by labours Newly developed mechanized >75 per cent

technique @Rs. 8500/ha planting technique
@ Rs. 2000/ha

3 Uprooting of Rhizome uprooting and cut- Plantlets uprooting 67 per cent

planting tings @ Rs. 3000/ha @ Rs. 1000/ha
material

4 Weed man- Manual weeding Mechno-chemical by Jangle Jim 75 Per cent

agement @ Rs. 40,000/ha/4 times +herbicide spray (power sprayer)
@ Rs. 10000/ha/six times
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5 Off season Maximum 4 cuttings 6 cuttings by additional irrigation 6-8 q add.

during win- (3-4) fibre yield
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ter
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6 Crop Im- Only Germplasm Collection Germplasm characterization, Floral Biology and
provement Germplasm screening for biotic and abiotic stresses
(winter, irrigated, herbicide tolerance and major dis-
eases and pests ,
Success of True Ramie Seed Technology for Crop
Improvement and expansion in paper pulp and fodder
purposes. (Future Technology)
7 Plant Protec- No major problems Observed and identified 2 major diseases and ob-
tion served, identified and registered 5 major insect pest
of ramie

8 Limited area <5 ha. in the farm >55 ha. in Farm (whole) and >10 ha. out side the sta-
tion (in NE States).
>6 ha at Maharastra for paper pulp AND 1.0 ha at
KVK Barpeta

throughout the world. Approximately 8-10 (rhizome and root) is very slow in ramie as
quintals rhizome cuttings of 10 to 15 cm. compared to the upper ground part. It has been
length have been found to be sufficient to cover observed that ramie is not a real rhizomatous
an area of one hectare of land. The required crop just like zinger. Ramie multiplication and
quantity of rhizome for one-hectare ramie culti- extension through rhizome is always associated
vation is very high as far as it’s per hectare per with four major constraints first is labour cost
years yield in concern. Ramie is a semi peren- in rhizome uprooting, second very low rhizome
nial crop, which generally yields, and economic yield from the newly planted crop (<4 years)
upto 9 years depending on the agronomic man- and third is to adopt a destructive way of rhi-
agement of the crop but it survive upto to 20 zome uprooting and finally the transportation
years. The growth of underground part cost of this voluminous planting material at far
50 Biotech Today, Vol. 4, No. 2, July—December, 2014
 REVIEW ARTICLE

Cost of Cultivation of ramie (under North Eastern Region conditions)

S.N Operation /input Operation wise cost
o.
Ist Year (Cost /ha in Rs.) IInd year on-words
(Cost/ha in Rs.)
1 Preparation of land 4000 0.00
2 Planting material 6050 0.00
3 Planting cost 2000 0.00
4 Fertilizer and chemicals 6000 12,000
5 Weed management 2000 4000 (HERBICIDE SPRAY)
(HERBICIDE SPRAY)
6 Staging /harvesting 9000 (3 cuttings) 18000 (6 cuttings)
(Rs. 3000/cutting)
7 Irrigation 1000 (1 irrigations) 2000 (2 irrigations)
8 Labour cost in Decorti- 6000 (3 cuttings) 12000 (6 cuttings)
cation (2000/cutting)
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9 Decortication charges 1200 (3 cuttings) 2400 (6 cuttings)

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(fuel) 400/cutting
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Total Input Cost (Rs.) 37250.00 50400.00

Return/ Output (Rs.) 49000.00 (7 q yield ) 1,26,000.00
(Raw fibre @ Rs 7000 per q.) (18q yield)

and difficult places. Due to these big reasons, quire staging and more than 4 year old crop
this valuable crop could not reach to other plac- where the plant density is very high 4.
es of almost similar agro climatic conditions of
the country. It was a big challenge before the True Ramie Seed (TRS) Technology for
scientists to develop a non-destructive and cost commercial fodder and paper pulp produc-
effective alternate planting material for its com- tion in remote and difficult areas of North
mercial cultivation and easy extension in the east.
different parts of the country. Mature plantlets Ramie multiplication and extension
(tillers) cuttings of < 1.0 m length alongwith 2- through rhizome is always associated with four
5 cm underground stem piece from the more major constraints: i) labour cost in rhizome up-
than 1 year old crop were found the best alter- rooting, ii) low rhizome yield from the newly
nate planting material for the multiplication and planted crop (<4 years), iii) to adopt a destruc-
propagation of this crop. Ninety per cent part of tive method of rhizome uprooting, and iv) fi-
these plantlets should be placed in the furrows nally the transportation cost of this voluminous
of proper distance (60x30 cm) and cover with planting material to far and difficult places.
soil. Depending upon the season after 15-30 These are certain crucial limitations for spread-
days plantlets sprouting takes place from the 2- ing ramie cultivation to other places having
5 cm underground stem (rhizome part) along- almost similar agro climatic conditions of the
with 2-3 sprouting from the 5-10 cm additional country. It was therefore considered important
basal portion of the stem (cane). After 1-2 to develop a non-destructive and cost effective
month sprouting of all the plantlets takes place. means to produce alternate planting material
The plantlets can be taken from the crop re- for its commercial cultivation as well as easy
Biotech Today, Vol. 4, No. 2, July—December, 2014 51
 REVIEW ARTICLE

extension in the different parts of the country. hybrids. Genetically pure seed can be produced
Keeping the above in view, it was found that very easily as in case of inbred lines of maize.
true ramie seeds could be the best and cost ef- This may be considered as first initiative to use
fective alternate planting materials to overcome seeds as a planting materials for the commer-
not only these limitations but may also offer cial cultivation of ramie in India. Earlier seeds
additional advantages for breeding pro- were used only for breeding purposes. Seed-
grammes5. lings of the ramie can be raised within 40-45
A cluster of female flowers contains 40 days in the fertile and moist soil (preferably
-80 mature seeds (depending upon the extent of shade) conditions of seed nursery. 40-45 days
cross pollination) and a complete female inflo- old uprooted seedlings can be transplanted in
rescence bears hundreds of such clusters on a the main field following 60x30 cms row to row
single stalk. Seeds are very small and almost and plant to plant spacing. Morphological and
black or blackish grey, blackish brown or light flowering variation was not observed in the
brown in color. Single mature seed is brownish single plant seed population of different pani-
in colour and conical in shape. A group of cles of single plant1 .
seeds appears as brownish powder of crushed Ramie fibre Production under winter irri-
wood in touch. The germination behavior of gated conditions
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ramie seeds was observed under the simple mi- During Kharif (rainy) season ramie can
croscope. The radicle comes out first and goes be harvested 4 times per year in Assam and
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towards the ground lower side in dark and the winter (dry) season was considered as a off sea-
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hypocotyl pushes the seed coat above ground son because it exhibits slow growth due to
and goes upwards in the light, which is a typi- low temperature (minimum temp. 4-50C) and
cally epigeal germination. moisture deficit conditions. As a result of
There was no seed dormancy. A freshly germplasm evaluation during winter, 2012-13
harvested seed can be germinated under suita- (dry season) irrigated conditions of Assam. It
ble conditions without any pre treatment. 1000 is a fact that in the plain areas of whole north
seed weight of ramie seed is about 250-300 mg. east experience few rains during winter but due
Seed setting in ramie is totally dependent on to high water table irrigation is comparatively
agro climatic conditions of the region. Being a easy. During winter, 2013-14 by applying three
monoecious crop, the pollination (cross- irrigations, one in second week of December
pollination by wind) and seed setting are de- and second and third irrigations in first and last
pendent on the genotypes, age and health of the week of January, were applied during the crop
plant at favorable location. It was found that season and first harvesting was done at 65
agro climatic conditions of north eastern states days after previous harvesting and second har-
is most favorable for the quality seed produc- vesting at 73 days of previous harvesting of
tion. Under the agro-climatic conditions of variety R 1411. In the first cutting @4 q/ha and
lower Assam (Ramie Research Station, in second cuttings @4.5 q/ha dry fibre yield
Sorbhog), flowering and seed setting in some was recorded. The fibre colour and length was
of the promising ramie genotypes (exotic col- better than the summer season fibre due to low
lections) occur two times in a year. First flow- temperature1.
ering occurs during September-October and Mechno-chemical Weed management in
second during March-April and in other geno- Ramie: A novel technology
types (indigenous collections) flowering and Weed management in ramie has been
seed setting occur only once in a year. Genet- considered as a major constraint for its cultiva-
ically ramie seeds of a variety are polycross tion in Northeastern states due to high rainfall

52 Biotech Today, Vol. 4, No. 2, July—December, 2014

 REVIEW ARTICLE

zone. Manual weeding in ramie is an expensive the potential to produce 21 q/ha/ year fibre
operation (>10,000 Rupees per ha.) and even yield and exhibited 6.77% higher productivity
sometimes it becomes very difficult due to con- in National trials and 12.32% in Adaptive trials
tinuous rains for a week or two. In these cir- from the check variety (R 67-34). R-1411 is
cumstances harvesting of a crop at every 50-55 having very low gum content (20.18%) and
days interval followed by weeding or cleaning exhibits 4.93% better fibre strength and 5.88%
the field leads to the drastic loss in yield and finer fibre than the local check (R 67-34)1.
ultimately output of the crop. As a result of Modification and validation of chemical
above experiment on herbicide (Non-selective) fibre degumming
tolerance study of exotic genotype of ramie, The existing chemical ramie fibre
Ramie Research Station has developed effec- degumming technique (developed by NIR-
tive and less expensive mechno-chemical tech- JAFT) has been modified and validated at RSS,
nique for the weed management of this crop Sorbhog. In the modified technique, freshly
even under rainy season. Use of jungle Jim decorticated fibre washed thoroughly, re-
(lawn mower) for jungle cutting (weeds and decorticated and re-washed in fresh water. Af-
crop residue) either for stage back of the crop ter this double decorticated fibre was soaked in
or after harvesting the crop followed by spray- 1.0 per cent washing soda and kept overnight
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ing of 0.125 to 0.25 per cent Paraquat (Non- for making the fibre more penetrating. After
selective herbicide) for annual weeds in newly washing, fibre was boiled with 2 (20gl-1) caus-
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planted crop (<one year old) or 0.125 to 0.25 tic soda (NaOH) and 0.5 per cent wetting agent
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per cent Glyphosate (Non-selective herbicide) in pressure cooker (usually 121 0 C and 15 psi
for perennial weeds (Saccharum type) using pressure) for 15-20 minutes. After cooling,
tractor mounted sprayer. Depending upon na- boiled fibre washed with fresh water and im-
ture and population of weeds, the herbicide mersed in 1 per cent hydrogen peroxide solu-
dose (Paraquat and Glyphosate) may varies tion in the warm water for one hour for bleach-
from 0.125 to 0.25 per cent. During the rainy ing and finally dried the fibre. Combing and
season 2-3 hours found sufficient enough for hackling is required for softening of dried fi-
effective application of Paraquat or glyphosate. bre. This modified degumming technique was
Incorporation of weed and crop residues in the appreciated by Chairman RAC, Ex-Director,
field itself will maintain the fertility of the soil. CRIJAF and others. 2 kg degummed fibre sam-
Weed management using this technique is an ple was sent to the spinning mill to the test the
effective mechanization of ramie cultivation, spinning quality of fibre, which was found suit-
which has the great potential to minimize the able for spinning and textile personal was sat-
input cost (labour) and maintaining large (>100 isfied with the quality of the fibre and demand-
ha.) ramie farm with minimum labour cost. ing more quantity of degummed fibre1 .
RRS is maintaining 55 ha. ramie crop using
this technology by which reduces the farm ex- Reference:
penditure by 75 percent1. 1. Anonymous (2014). Annual report 2013-
Identification of Ramie Variety R-1411 14 published by ICAR-Central Research
(Hazarika) for its release in NER Institute for Jute and Allied fibres, Kolkata
Promising genotype i.e., R-1411 tested (W.B.).
in Adaptive trial of AINPJAF during 2012-13
has been identified in the name of HAZARIKA 2. Dempsey, J.M. (1975). Fibre Crops. Flori-
during the Annual AINPJAF workshop held at da University Press, Florida.
CRIJAF (ICAR), Barrackpore. This variety has
3. Leupin, M. (1998). Enzymatic degumming

Biotech Today, Vol. 4, No. 2, July—December, 2014 53

 REVIEW ARTICLE

through alkalophilic microorganisms-a new ty, Nutritional Quality and Value Addition
approach for bast fibre processing paper (TIAS-2014) held during 17-19th Feb.,
presented at the symposium on Hemp, Flex 2015 at Dimapur, Nagaland. Conference
and other bast fibrous plant production Book and Souvenir. Pp:59-61.
plant-Production Technology and Ecology
Symposium, Poznan, poland 24-25 Sept. 5. Sharma, A.K.; P.G. Karmakar and B.S.
1998. Mahapatra (2010). Ramie Gene Pool and
its Preliminary Characterization at RRS,
4. Sharma, A.K., S.P. Gawande and S. ASSAM. JAF NEWS: 8(1): 28-30.
Satpathy (2015). Ramie (Boehmeria nivea
L.) cultivation: Potential, Problems and 6. Singh, D.P. (1998). Ramie (Boehmeria
Prospects in NE Region of India. Lead pa- nivea). Technical paper. Online article at
per Presented in the International Confer- http:// www. assamagribusiness.nic.in/
ence on Technological Interventions in Ag- RAMIE.pdf.
ricultural Sciences for enhanced Productivi-

Received: March, 2014 / Revised: April, 2014 / Accepted: April, 2014

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54 Biotech Today, Vol. 4, No. 2, July—December, 2014

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