Ecology and establishment of fiber producing taxa naturally growing in the Egyptian deserts

Peer review under responsibility of Mansoura University.

Figures & data

Table 1 Fiber lengths of seven plant species naturally growing in Egypt's desert. Different superscript letters (a–f) indicate significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between different plant species.

Species	Fiber lengths (μn)
	Short fibers		Long fibers		Means
	Length	%	Length	%
Thymelaea hirsuta	400^c	40	6100^a	60	4318^a
Cyperus papyrus	410^c	45	930^e	55	630^f
Typha domingensis	520^a	40	1560^d	60	960^d
Typha elephantina	480^ab	30	2300^c	70	1390^c
Desmostachya bipinnata	250^d	40	1500^d	60	875^e
Juncus rigidus	467b^c	60	2421^b	40	1484^b
Juncus acutus	467b^c	60	2421^b	40	1484^b
LSD	68.10		116.29		54.83

Table 2 Comparison between the strength properties of the pulps of J. rigidus, rice straw, bagasse and Kraft.

Strength properties	Juncus rigidus		Rice straw	Bagasse	Kraft
	Not depithed	Depithed
Tensile strength (kg)	6.3	6.7	3.0	6.3	9.0
Breaking length (m)	7000	9667	3333	7000	10.000
% of Breaking length to that of Kraft pulp	70	96.7	33.3	70	100
Bursting strength (lb/m^2)	47	62	15	43	58
Bursting index	55	73	18	50	80
% of Bursting index to that of Kraft pulp	68.6	91.2	22.5	62.5	100
Tear strength (g)	26	48	28	28	60
Tear index	43	80	47	47	100
% of Tear index to that of Kraft pulp	39	72.7	42.7	42.7	100
Folding (no. of double folds)	300	1570	20	500	3000
% of Folding to that of Kraft pulp	10	52.7	0.7	16.7	100
Grad index	40	73	24	42	100
Strength properties of bleached pulp of J. rigidus
Initial freeness (OSR)	Brightness (photo volt) (%)	Ash content (%)	Strength properties
			Time of beating (min)	Freeness (°SR)	Tensile strength (kg)	Bursting strength (lb/m^2)	Tear strength (g)	Folding (no. of double folds)
40	76	0.85	0	40	52	41	44	235
			16	49	40	50	40	540
			20	75	6.8	45	32	690
			30	61	6.5	42	28	52

Table 3 Growth parameters in two Juncus spp. at Manzala.

Parameters	Juncus rigidus	Juncus acutus
Number of new culms (out of 12 rhizomes/plot)	10.46	8.95
Height of culms (cm)	162.00	85.00
Fresh weight of culms/plot (kg)	4.96	2.81
Oven dry weight of culms/plot (kg)	1.96	1.11
Water content of culms (%)	63.50	60.23