Sunn



                                  SUNN
The plant Crotalaria juncea has been grown in India and Pakistan since prehistoric times. It is a source of the bast fiber known as sunn.
Production and Processing:-
It grows to the height of 3m ( 10 ft), with stalks nearly 2.5cm (1 in) thick.
 It is cultivated and harvested in India and Bangladash in a manner similar to jute. In 1976, the world production of sunn amounted to about 6,000 tonnes.

Structure and Properties:-
Sunn is a light coloured fiber when carefully prepared. It has a fine luster.
Sunn fiber is almost strong as hemp, and its strenght is greater when wet.
Strands of commerical sunn are some 150cm (5 ft ) long and consist of many individual fibers held together by natural gums.
Individual cells are about 8.5mm ( 1/3 in)long.The cells of sunn fibers are cylinderical, and are marked here and there by joints. The lumen is not so regular as it is in flax, as it is often filled with a yellow substance. Towards the end of the fiber cell, the lumen disappears. The end of the cell are blunt and rounded.
Seen in the cross section, the cells of sunn fiber are oval. There is a comparatively thick coating of lignin surrounding each cell.

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                                            Sunn
Sunn in Use:-
1- Sunn fiber is used for cordage and paper manufacture.
2- It is made into sacking, carpet and rug material.
3-  It has a good resistance to moisture and micro-organisms. It become strong in wet condition and made the fiber particularly useful for fishing nets.


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