Agronomic Research for Kenaf
Crop Production in Mississippi
S.W. Neill
Delta Branch Experiment Station
Variety Trials
1989. The availability of kenaf seed was limited, and quality was
suspect, as research got underway in 1989. Because of the latitudinal
effect on kenaf growth, mid-maturing and late-maturing varieties were
selected for the variety trial. These included both palmate
(or-split)and entire leaf varieties:
Variety Leaf Structure
Maturity C-108 Entire
Mid-late Cubano Entire
Mid Everglades 41 Entire
Mid-late Tainung 1 Palmate
Mid-late Tainung 2 Palmate
Mid-late 45-9X Palmate
Mid-late 78-18-RS-10 Palmate
Mid-late 78-18-GS-10 Palmate
Mid-late
Procurement of seed and adverse weather caused this trial to be
planted late -- June 21, 1989. A stand was not achieved until the
last week of June. This trial was located at Leverette (near
Charleston) in Tallahatchie county on a Cascilla silt loam soil. The
crop was terminated by an early freeze October 20, 1989.
1990. There were three locations for variety trials in 1990:
Leverette, Itta Bena (Leflore County), and Grenada (Yalobusha County).
Plantings at these locations were accomplished by May 16. Variety
78-18-GS-10 was dropped because of lack of seed. Additional varieties
included:
Variety Leaf Structure
Maturity Everglades 71 Palmate
Mid-late 19-117-2 Palmate
Mid-late 15-2 Palmate
Mid-late
Grenada experienced severe drought conditions during the summer.
This is thought to have reduced yields at that location.
1991. By June 3, 1991, plantings were accomplished at three
locations: two sites at Stoneville and the one at Leverette.
1992. Plantings were limited to the two sites at Stoneville in
1992. Plantings were accomplished by May 1, but dry conditions delayed
emergence until May 20.
Table 1 shows the combined averages across locations by year and
the 3-year and 4-year averages. Kenaf varieties tested were all
photo-periodic, which means that regardless of the date of planting,
the plant will remain vegetative until the daylight period falls below
12
hours and 30 minutes. Therefore, the 1989 trial, with the late
planting date, was short-seasoned and went reproductive prior to
attaining its full vegetative height, resulting in yields lower than
the than the potential.
Table 1 gives an indication of those varieties that produced the
higher yields consistently at the locations.
Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the yield data at Leverette and
Stoneville for the years and are indicative of the yield potential at
those areas. These locations were selected because they reflect three
different soil types -- sandy (Leverette), mixed (Stoneville-Field
13), and clay (Stoneville-Field 16). The evaluations of these
ten varieties should give a commercial producer an idea as to the
yield potential. Other variables that might affect a producer's
choice would be: availability of planting seed, bast ratio of the
variety, and soil type.
Seed
The availability of kenaf planting seed is questionable for some
of the varieties tested; however, there are several commercial
ventures involved in seed production.
Kenaf seed germination in some varieties has been a problem if
seeds are carried for longer than one year. The author recommends
germination tests of seed lots approximately one month prior to
planting in order to adjust seeding rates to ensure adequate stands.
Bast Ratio
Bast ratios of varieties were studied and are worthy of comment
at this time. Past research has indicated bast ratios are affected by
stem diameter. Stem diameter can be manipulated by row spacing;
however, this could reduce yield and plant density. Drought
conditions experienced in 1990 seemed to affect bast ratio. In some
fertility trials, differing rates of fertilizer appeared to influence
bast ratios.
There are noted differences in bast ratios among varieties, with
the two Tainung selections producing low ratios and 45-9X producing
high ratios. However, it is the author's opinion that too little is
known in this area to make a recommendation of a variety solely on
bast ratio.
Soils
Soils are seen to have an influence on kenaf yield (Tables 2, 3,
4). The Leverette location had a silt loam soil with a low cation
exchange capacity (CEC). Stoneville Field 13 was a silty clay soil
with a mid-range CEC, and Stoneville Field 16 contained a heavy clay
soil with a high CEC rating. As indicated in the tables, the lower
CEC soils produced almost 2 tons greater yield than the high CEC
ratings and a ton more than the soils with the mid-range CEC. This
trend was also noted among varieties with almost the same graduations.
More work in this area should be done before a specific recommendation
of a variety for a soil type could be made. However, these tables
could be used as a reference in that selection.
Table 1. Averages by year of kenaf varietal dry stem yield across
Mississippi locations.
Variety Averages
4-year 3-year
Variety 1989 1990 1991 1992 average average*
Tainung 2 3.6 5.87 7.18 4.60 5.31 5.88
Everglades 71 - - 6.20 6.72 4.40 5.77 5.77
15-2 - - 5.55 6.43 4.70 5.56 5.56
19-117-2 - - 5.45 6.63 4.55 5.54 5.54
Tainung 1 4.0 5.90 6.50 4.20 5.15 5.53
Everglades 41 3.9 5.53 6.38 4.50 5.08 5.47
78-18-RS-10 3.5 5.63 6.38 4.35 4.97 5.45
45-9X 3.3 5.70 6.80 3.85 4.91 5.45
Cubano 3.8 4.97 6.73 4.50 5.00 5.40
C-108 3.6 5.30 6.55 3.90 4.84 5.25
*Drop 1989 average due to 120-day growing season (averaging 1990-92).
Table 2. Average by year of kenaf varietal dry stem yield at
Leverette, Mississippi.
Leverette 3-year 2-year
Variety 1989 1990 1991 average average*
Tainung 2 3.6 6.5 9.0 6.37 7.75
Everglades 71 3.9 7.4 7.9 6.40 7.65
45-9X 3.3 6.5 7.8 5.87 7.15
78-18-RS-10 3.5 6.0 7.2 5.57 6.60
Tainung 1 4.0 6.5 6.6 5.70 6.55
Cubano 3.8 5.0 7.2 5.33 6.10
Everglades 41 3.9 5.6 6.6 5.37 6.10
C-108 3.6 5.7 6.4 5.23 6.05
19-117-2 - - - - 7.1 - - - -
15-2 - - - - 7.6 - - - -
*Drop 1989 average due to 120 day growing season (averaging 1990-91).
Table 3. Average by year of kenaf varietal dry stem yield at Field
13,
Stoneville, Mississippi.*
Field 13 2-year
Variety 1991 1991 1992 average
Tainung 2 6.3 8.1 5.1 6.50
Cubano 7.1 6.7 5.3 6.37
C-108 6.3 8.1 4.3 6.23
Tainung 1 6.4 7.0 5.0 6.13
Everglades 41 6.0 7.6 4.8 6.13
45-9X 6.7 6.8 4.8 6.10
Everglades 71 6.0 7.3 4.8 6.03
78-18-RS-10 6.4 6.1 5.1 5.87
19-117-2 6.7 - - 5.0 5.85
15-2 6.2 - - 5.2 5.70
*Field 13 is a Sharkey clay soil, but not heavy clay.
Table 4. Average by year of kenaf varietal dry stem yield at Field
16,
Stoneville, Mississippi.*
1991 1992 2-year
Variety Field 16 Field 16 average
19-117-2 6.1 4.1 5.10
Everglades 71 5.7 4.0 4.85
15-2 5.5 4.2 4.85
Cubano 5.9 3.7 4.80
Everglades 41 5.3 4.2 4.75
Tainung 2 5.3 4.1 4.70
78-18-RS-10 5.8 3.6 4.70
Tainung 1 6.0 3.4 4.70
C-108 5.4 3.5 4.45
45-9X 5.9 2.9 4.40
*Field 16 is a Sharkey clay soil.
______________________________
S.W. Neill, former Research Technician at the Delta Branch Experiment
Station, Stoneville, is an Environmental Scientist I, YMD Joint Water
Management District, Marigold, MS.