Need Assistance? 01384 442752 (UK)

AGRONOMY VI - FIBRE CROPS BAG313

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment

Learn to grow different types of fibre crops

  • better and commercially
  • on a small or large scale.
  • cotton, jute, flax, hemp, sisal coir and more

Know the crop options and make better choices about what you grow and how you grow it

 

It's easy to enrol...

1
Select a payment plan:  

2
Select a learning method  

3

Farm Fibre Crops - Understand more about the practices and theory of agronomy specialising in fibre crops

Plant fibres have a range of uses in fabrics, ropes and other materials. Research is continually finding more uses for cellulose. Most fibre crops can be grown and harvested within a single season.  

Discover how to grow, harvest and market fibre crops for a quick return on your investment.

This specialist course will provide you with a detailed knowledge of agronomy focussing specifically on fibre crops.

 

Course Content:

This course has 10 lessons covering the following:

1. Scope and Nature of Fibre Crops 

  • Introduction
  • Fibre Properties
  • Fibre Uses
  • Types of Fibre Crops 
  • Commercial Viability
  • Assessing Land Characteristics
  • Assessing land suitability 
  • Broad Acre Farming
  • Crop Production Considerations
  • Production Systems
  • Crop Rotation and Management
  • Cover Crops
  • Crop Islands

2. Cotton – Part 1

  • Cotton Production 
  • Sustainable Agriculture
  • Crop Rotation
  • Conservation Tillage 
  • Insects and Diseases
  • Insects
  • Aphids
  • Armyworm
  • Cotton bollworm
  • Cotton Diseases 
  • Fungal Diseases
  • Viral Diseases
  • Bacterial Diseases
  • Pesticides and insecticides
  • Cotton Life Cycle
  • Types of Cotton 
  • Better Cotton Initiative
  • Genetic modification

3. Cotton - Part 2

  • Cotton Fibre Properties
  • Improving Properties of Cotton Fibre
  • Flexural testing 
  • Industrial Use of Cotton
  • Cotton Fibre in Clothing
  • Wicking
  • Cotton - Milkweed blends
  • Ginning
  • Coloured Cotton 
  • Textile Dyeing
  • Load Bearing Materials 
  • Harvesting 
  • Cotton Pickers
  • Cotton Strippers
  • Cotton Ginning
  • Uses of Cotton

4. Jute

  • Types and Properties of Jute
  • Jute Production
  • Climatic requirements for Jute 
  • Jute Characteristics
  • Genetic Yield Improvements 
  • Pests and Diseases
  • Harvesting
  • Uses and Consumption 

5. Industrial Hemp

  • Terminology
  • Types and Properties   
  • Cultivation
  • Countries of Production 
  • Climate
  • Soil Fertility
  • Water 
  • Pests and Diseases
  • Cost 
  • Genetic Modification
  • Harvesting 
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Geotextiles
  • Fabric
  • Carbon Capture
  • Phytoremediation
  • Hempseed
  • Building 
  • Paper
  • Cannabidiol  

6. Sunn Hemp and Kenaf (Deccan Hemp)

  • Sunn Hemp
  • Properties 
  • Cultivation  
  • Soil Fertility 
  • Water 
  • Cost 
  • Phytoremediation
  • Pests and Diseases
  • Genetic Modification 
  • Harvesting 
  • Retting
  • Uses 
  • Fibre
  • Weed Control 
  • Green Manure
  • Biofuel
  • Kenaf (Deccan Hemp)
  • Types and Properties
  • Cultivation
  • Countries of Production
  • Climate 
  • Soil Fertility
  • Water Requirements
  • Pests and Diseases 
  • Harvesting and Processing
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Textiles
  • Food
  • Sustainable Material
  • Soil Structure
  • Paper

7. Flax 

  • Types and Properties  
  • Cultivation
  • Countries of Production 
  • Climate
  • Soil 
  • Water Requirement
  • Pests and Diseases
  • Genetic Modification
  • Harvesting 
  • Processing
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Fabric 
  • Bio Composites and Industrial Materials
  • Paper
  • Bioplastic
  • Food

8. Leaf Fibres and Grass Fibre

  • Abaca and sisal fibres
  • Abaca 
  • Types and Properties 
  • Production and Cultivation 
  • Pests and Diseases 
  • Harvesting and Processing
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Sisal
  • Sisal Cultivation
  • Harvesting and Processing
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Grass Fibres – sugarcane and bamboo 
  • Sugarcane
  • Properties
  • Sugarcane Culture
  • Growing & Production
  • Soil Conditions
  • Ratooning
  • Tillage
  • Crop Rotation and Break Crops
  • Harvesting
  • Burn-offs
  • Sugarcane Straw 
  • Sugarcane Yield Limitations
  • Pests and Diseases
  • Pathogens
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Sugar 
  • Energy
  • Bioethanol
  • Bioplastics/Biomaterials
  • Paper and containers
  • Other Uses
  • Alcohol – Rum
  • Bamboo
  • Types and Properties 
  • Cultivation 
  • Pests and Diseases 
  • Harvesting and Processing
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Food
  • Fuel
  • Medicine
  • Building Material
  • Furniture, Household Items and Accessories
  • Clothing
  • Paper

9. Fruit Fibre - Coir

  • Types and Properties of Coir
  • Coir Production and Cultivation
  • Countries of Production
  • Climate 
  • Soil Fertility
  • Water Requirement
  • Cultivars
  • Pests and Diseases 
  • Harvesting and Processing
  • Uses and Consumption
  • Cordage
  • Horticulture 
  • Construction material
  • Biocontrol 

10. Fibre Processing and the Fibre Future

  • Fibre Quality
  • Retting
  • Biological Retting
  • Dew Retting
  • Water Retting
  • Enzyme Retting
  • Chemical Retting
  • Mechanical Retting
  • Physical Retting
  • Drying
  • Fibre Future
  • Hybrid Composites 
  • Geotextiles
  • Building Industry
  • Car Interiors
  • Genetic Improvements 
  • Other Fibre Sources  

 

Course Aims

  • Explain the scope and nature of fibre crops in agronomy.
  • Explain the different cultivation aspects of cotton.
  • Explain cotton Production, harvesting and uses.
  • Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of Jute (Corchorus spp.).  
  • Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa).
  • Explain the requirements for growing commercial crops of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea) and Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus).
  • Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of flax (Linum spp.). 
  • Explain the requirements for growing commercial leaf fibre crops, abaca (Musa textilis) and sisal (Agave sisalana), and grass fibre crops, sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) and bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).
  • Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of coir for fibre use. 
  • Explain how different fibres are separated and processed for sale, along with modern applications for fibre use.  

Who should study this course?

  • Farmers
  • Farm workers
  • Fibre traders - selling raw or processed product
  • Farm equipment/material suppliers (Understanding how the crop is grown underpins supplying the farm's needs)
  • Consultants, educators, journalists, providing information to the farm
  • Students, academics, manufacturers, investors or anyone else with an interest in fibre products and their production
  • Anyone wanting to gain a detailed knowledge of agronomy, specialising in fibre crops
  • Students wanting to improve their job and career prospects in agronomy and agriculture by undertaking specialist training.

Growing, harvesting, processing and creating plant fibre based products is an enormous global business. Farm production quite obviously underpins that whole industry. This course focuses on the production of that raw product.

Any Questions?

Our agronomy tutors are happy to help with any questions -

Please click here to contact a tutor

Or

Request a course handbook here.

 
Courses can be started anytime from anywhere in the world!