NINFET Jaivik-a retting technology for quality fibre extraction from jute

Background/Problem Description:

Retting is one of the most important factors determining jute fibre quality. It is a microbial decomposition process of the gummy materials of green bast leading to separation of fiber strands. Conventional retting i.e. soaking of green jute stem bundles in large volume water bodies, is slow, water-intensive, lengthy (take almost 20-22 days) and environmentally polluting process. However, large volume bodies are sometimes not available during the retting season due to erratic rainfall arising out of global climatic changes. As a result, farmers fail to get quality fibre from an otherwise bumper crop. To overcome these challenges, alternate retting technologies have been developed for better efficiency, sustainability, minimum water requirement and quality control. Such retting technologies are not only faster but also require less water for retting. Here we report one such technology where green stems are retted with a microbial retting formulation for faster retting process producing quality fibre.

Technology Details:

Two pectino-xylanolytic bacterial isolates were isolated from termite gut. These were found to higher pectinase and xylanase activities and negligible or no cellulase activity. A liquid retting formulation has been developed with these two bacterial isolates. The formulation is sprayed on the jute jak @ 2-3L/bigha. Every layer of jute bundle in a jak is sprayed. Once spraying ids done the jak is immersed in water with weights like dry logs, broken concrete slabs etc. This is ecofriendly and sustainable retting technology completing the process by 1-12 days producing jute fibres of 1-2 Grade higher.