There are 10 lessons:

1. Scope and Nature of Fibre Crops

• Introduction
• Fibre Properties
• Fibre Uses
• Types of Fibre Crops
• Commercial Viability
• Assessing Land Characteristics
• Assessing land suitability
• Broad Acre Farming
• Crop Production Considerations
• Production Systems
• Crop Rotation and Management
• Cover Crops
• Crop Islands

2.  Cotton – Part 1

• Cotton Production
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Crop Rotation
• Conservation Tillage
• Insects and Diseases
• Insects
• Aphids
• Armyworm
• Cotton bollworm
• Cotton Diseases
• Fungal Diseases
• Viral Diseases
• Bacterial Diseases
• Pesticides and insecticides
• Cotton Life Cycle
• Types of Cotton
• Better Cotton Initiative
• Genetic modification

3.  Cotton – Part 2

• Cotton Fibre Properties
• Improving Properties of Cotton Fibre
• Flexural testing
• Industrial Use of Cotton
• Cotton Fibre in Clothing
• Wicking
• Cotton – Milkweed blends
• Ginning
• Coloured Cotton
• Textile Dyeing
• Load Bearing Materials
• Harvesting
• Cotton Pickers
• Cotton Strippers
• Cotton Ginning
• Uses of Cotton

4.  Jute

• Types and Properties of Jute
• Jute Production
• Climatic requirements for Jute
• Jute Characteristics
• Genetic Yield Improvements
• Pests and Diseases
• Harvesting
• Uses and Consumption

5.  Industrial Hemp

• Terminology
• Types and Properties
• Cultivation
• Countries of Production
• Climate
• Soil Fertility
• Water
• Pests and Diseases
• Cost
• Genetic Modification
• Harvesting
• Uses and Consumption
• Geotextiles
• Fabric
• Carbon Capture
• Phytoremediation
• Hempseed
• Building
• Paper
• Cannabidiol

6.  Sunn Hemp and Kenaf (Deccan Hemp)

• Sunn Hemp
• Properties
• Cultivation
• Soil Fertility
• Water
• Cost
• Phytoremediation
• Pests and Diseases
• Genetic Modification
• Harvesting
• Retting
• Uses
• Fibre
• Weed Control
• Green Manure
• Biofuel
• Kenaf (Deccan Hemp)
• Types and Properties
• Cultivation
• Countries of Production
• Climate
• Soil Fertility
• Water Requirements
• Pests and Diseases
• Harvesting and Processing
• Uses and Consumption
• Textiles
• Food
• Sustainable Material
• Soil Structure
• Paper

7.  Flax

• Types and Properties
• Cultivation
• Countries of Production
• Climate
• Soil
• Water Requirement
• Pests and Diseases
• Genetic Modification
• Harvesting
• Processing
• Uses and Consumption
• Fabric
• Bio Composites and Industrial Materials
• Paper
• Bioplastic
• Food

8.  Leaf Fibres and Grass Fibre

• Abaca and sisal fibres
• Abaca
• Types and Properties
• Production and Cultivation
• Pests and Diseases
• Harvesting and Processing
• Uses and Consumption
• Sisal
• Sisal Cultivation
• Harvesting and Processing
• Uses and Consumption
• Grass Fibres – sugarcane and bamboo
• Sugarcane
• Properties
• Sugarcane Culture
• Growing & Production
• Soil Conditions
• Ratooning
• Tillage
• Crop Rotation and Break Crops
• Harvesting
• Burn-offs
• Sugarcane Straw
• Sugarcane Yield Limitations
• Pests and Diseases
• Pathogens
• Uses and Consumption
• Sugar
• Energy
• Bioethanol
• Bioplastics/Biomaterials
• Paper and containers
• Other Uses
• Alcohol – Rum
• Bamboo
• Types and Properties
• Cultivation
• Pests and Diseases
• Harvesting and Processing
• Uses and Consumption
• Food
• Fuel
• Medicine
• Building Material
• Furniture, Household Items and Accessories
• Clothing
• Paper

9.  Fruit Fibre – Coir

• Types and Properties of Coir
• Coir Production and Cultivation
• Countries of Production
• Climate
• Soil Fertility
• Water Requirement
• Cultivars
• Pests and Diseases
• Harvesting and Processing
• Uses and Consumption
• Cordage
• Horticulture
• Construction material
• Biocontrol

10.  Fibre Processing and the Fibre Future

• Fibre Quality
• Retting
• Biological Retting
• Dew Retting
• Water Retting
• Enzyme Retting
• Chemical Retting
• Mechanical Retting
• Physical Retting
• Drying
• Fibre Future
• Hybrid Composites
• Geotextiles
• Building Industry
• Car Interiors
• Genetic Improvements
• Other Fibre Sources

Please Note:   Each lesson culminates in an assignment, submitted to the academy, marked by your tutor and returned with suggestions, comments, and extra reading where required.

• Explain the scope and nature of fibre crops in agronomy.
• Explain the different cultivation aspects of cotton.
• Explain cotton Production, harvesting and uses.
• Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of Jute (Corchorus spp.).
• Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa).
• Explain the requirements for growing commercial crops of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea) and Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus).
• Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of flax (Linum spp.).
• Explain the requirements for growing commercial leaf fibre crops, abaca (Musa textilis) and sisal (Agave sisalana), and grass fibre crops, sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) and bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).
• Explain the requirements for growing a commercial crop of coir for fibre use.
• Explain how different fibres are separated and processed for sale, along with modern applications for fibre use.

HOW CROP FIBRES ARE USED

Fibre crops are plants that are grown to produce fibre, which after processing can be used for any of the following purposes:

• Fabric
• Cordage – rope, chords, string
• Filling (e.g. pillows, cushions, furnishings)
• Paper
• Insulation
• Construction (e.g. walls, bricks, etc.)

TYPES OF FIBRE CROPS
Nature offers us a lot of materials that can be called fibrous. Crop fibres are obtained from various parts such as seeds (cotton, kapok), stems (flax, jute, hemp, kenaf, bamboo), leaves (sisal, abaca), fruit (coir) and other grass fibres (sugarcane). Fibres from these plants can be renewable and biodegradable.

Plant fibres have a long history in human civilisation, having gained economic importance around the world, and are now cultivated on a large scale globally.

Bast fibres such as flax, jute, hemp, and kenaf, are soft woody fibres which are obtained from stems or stalks of dicotyledonous plants. These fibres occur in bundles or aggregates, consisting of 10-25 elementary fibres with a length of 2-5mm.

The elementary fibrils and bundles are cemented by lignin and pectin intercellular substances, which must be removed during fibre extraction.

The utilisation of bast fibres have a long history, particularly in the textile industry. Most recently, bast fibres are used for environmentally friendly composites used in different areas of applications like building materials, particle boards, insulation boards, food, and other biopolymers.

COMMERCIAL VIABILITY
There is considerable interest in many areas in the production of fibre crops. Potential crops include: New Zealand Flax, Kadzu Vine, Jerusalem artichoke, Chugar vine, reeds, and rushes.

Some have potential to be weeds so careful selection is important. Cotton is successfully grown in Australia, but requires a warm climate (e.g. Inland northern N.S.W.). There may be more value in raising a sheep or two for fibre than growing horticultural crops on a small scale.

Recently, there has been interest in the legalisation of commercial hemp crops for use as a fibre. This is not an innovation either, as hemp has been used extensively in the past for such things as sail cloth, clothing and paper.

The plants that are proposed for this crop are genetically different to the hemp plants that are cultivated for their narcotic properties.

Some fibre plants are widely grown around the world, while others are popularly used in a particular region only. Cotton is by far the most widely cultivated fibre crop, followed by Sunn Hemp and Jute.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.