KENAF
Other Common Names Include:
Deccan hemp, Bimli, Ambari Hemp
Latin Name : Hibiscus cannabinus
Plant Family : Malvaceae
Close Relatives : Cotton, okra, hollyhocks
Uses and Markets : Industrial (fibre, textiles, biocomposites, paper, fuel)
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
Kenaf requires temperatures above 10°C, high solar radiation and a long growing season for maximum yields. It is quite sensitive to cool temperatures.
Propagation method
Seeds
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Late-spring after danger of killing frost has passed.
Field Transplanting Dates
N/A
In-row spacing
16 cm (250,000 plants/ha)
Between row spacing
25 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
I>11°C at soil surface
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Research from Oklahoma indicated that, when grown on loamy soil, kenaf is relatively unresponsive to N application of 168 kg/ha and above 168 kg/ha, there was a potential risk of decreasing stalk yield. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Well drained soils, avoid extremely heavy or light soils.
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Special requirements for growth habit
Small seeded crops require good seed to soil contact and finely prepared seedbeds.
Optimal Temperature Range
15-27°C with a mean daily temperature >20°C.
Temperature sensitivity
Frost sensitive
Irrigation requirements
Kenaf requires 7.5 to 12.5 cm of water per month during the first 100 days for maximum yields.
Days to harvest
Harvest after first killing frost when leaves have fallen.
Specialized equipment
None
Harvest:
Harvest Scheduling
Single harvest. Canes are cut, windrowed and allowed to dry for ~10 days.
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Machine harvest. Standard field-crop equipment including sickle mowers, haybines, round balers and combines.
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
None
Post harvest
Special handling/curing
Various methods of retting can be used to separate the bast fibres from the core or other plant tissues.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): Store in a cool/dry environment.
Temperature (°C): Any temperature (fibre)
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: Indefinite (fibre)
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: Japanese beetles
Diseases: Anthracnose (Colletotrichum hibisci), Botrytis cinerea
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Aphids, various caterpillars (e.g. Helicoverpa zea) leafminers, cutworms
Diseases: Root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp)*, powdery mildew, fungal leaf spots
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
Kenaf has a high tolerance to chewing and sucking insects once it is past the young seedling stage. To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: Japanese beetles. This crop is not in a crop group. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. There are few to no pest control products registered on this crop in Ontario. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
Yields up to 10 dry tonnes/ha were recorded with variety trials done at the University of Guelph.
-
Van Acker, R., R. Grohs, R. Riddle and J. Todd. 2011-2012. Kenaf variety trials conducted at the University of Guelph Simcoe research station (unpublished data)
- LeMahieu, P.J., E.S. Oplinger and D.H. Putnam.1991. Kenaf.
- Taylor, C.S. 1995. Kenaf. New Crop FactSHEET, Perdue University. .
- Webber, C.L. 1996. Response of kenaf to nitrogen fertilization. P. 404-408. In: Progress in New Crops. J.Janick (ed), ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.
- Webber III, C.L., H.L. Bhardwaj, and V.K.. Bledsoe. 2002. Kenaf Production: Fiber, Feed, and Seed. In: Trends in new crops and new uses. J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds.). ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA
- Webber III, C.L. and V.K. Bledsoe. 2002. Kenaf Yield Components and Plant Composition. Trends in new crops and new uses. J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds.). ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.
