• Sugarcane cultivation can thrive in various soil types, encompassing sandy soils, clay loams, and heavy clays.
• However, the optimal conditions for sugarcane growth are found in well-drained, deep, loamy soils with a pH of pH5 to pH8.5.
• Annually, 75-100cm of rainfall is necessary for sugarcane to thrive.
• The optimal conditions for sugarcane cultivation include an extended, warm growing period characterized by abundant sunlight, a temperature of 21°C to 27°C and sufficient soil moisture.
• The total sugar crop area worldwide is around 31.3 million hectares, with sugar cane comprising about 70%.
• In 2016, the leading sugar-producing nations were Brazil, India, and China, contributing 20.57%, 16.91%, and 6.31% to the global production, respectively.
• In the recent period, China’s sugar cane cultivation spanned around 1.23 million hectares, with a corresponding production of about 100 million tons in the 2017- 18 period.

• Sunn hemp is a tropical or sup-tropical plant grown below 1000 feet.
• It can thrive in a broad range of soil types, but it performs particularly well on poor sandy soils compared to many other plants.
• It flourishes in well-drained soils with a pH range of 5.0 pH to 7.5 pH.
• It is a rapid, vigorous growing plant which can achieve a height of 4ft within 60 days under optimum conditions and grows further as time receeds.
• The height of the plant ranges from 3-9ft .
• If heavy rains occur shortly after planting, it does not grow well.
• With a typical yearly yield averaging 409 kg/ha(2023), India leads as the world’s primary Sunn hemp fibre producer, contributing to 23% of the global production.
• Sunn hemp is primarily grown as a biomass to add nutrition to the soil and harvesting seeds for further propagation in India and is highest producer of sunn hemp, with China and Bangladesh being the next leading cultivators.

• It is a tough plant that grows well throughout the year in hot climates and arid regions.
• At an altitude of about 900-1500m above sea level, it grows well as it obtains favourable atmospheric conditions.
• Annual rainfall of about 650mm during the planting season is necessary and tolerates drought conditions.
• It requires moderately fertile sandy-loamy soils for growing the crop. Planting this plant can be bothersome as it requires much manpower during the planting and harvesting season.
• As each plant requires space to thrive, a flat landscape is preferable.
• Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of the sisal fibres throughout the globe.
• A single sisal plant can produce about 200-250 leaves before flowering. Each leaf contains 1000-1200 fibre bundles.

• India owns the largest area and is the second-largest reserve of bamboo in the world.
• It is a tropical plant which grows mainly in tropical and sub-tropical regions and is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world.
• Most bamboo species can grow and thrive in a wide range of soil types, except for rocky soils, and they tend to prefer well-drained soils, specifically sandy loamy, to clay loamy soils.
• The minimum annual rainfall required for bamboo is 775 mm and a rainfall of maximum of eight consecutive months with less than 40 mm.
• The most suitable pH range for healthy growth of plants is 5.0pH-6.5pH, but some species can also grow in highly acidic soils(3.5pH).
• Every bamboo plant can achieve a daily growth of up to 120cm, and this speedy development characterises it as a readily available, renewable resource in nature.
• Currently, the bamboo production around the world is about 3,00,000 tons.

Table 1. Physical & mechanical properties and chemical composition of areca nut fibres

• To ensure a well deep root system, the soil for cultivation should be deep with high organic carbon content.
• Laterite, red loamy, and alluvial soils are most suited for the cultivation of areca nut.
• The pH range of soil should lie between acidic to neutral.
• It requires evenly distributed rainfall with mean annual rainfall of 750-4500mm.
• It proliferates in the tropical regions with temperatures around 150C – 390C.
• The lifespan of the palm tree continues for 100 years, and fruiting for around 30-60 years.
• Statistics shows that the annual world production of areca nuts is 1,073,000, and approximately 2.5 g of areca husk could be extracted from every areca betel nut.
• In India, 90% of cultivation is contributed by Karnataka, Kerala, and Assam states.

• The banana plant thrives in deep, loamy soil, exhibiting excellent fertility, moisture retention, and adequate drainage.
• The plant’s ideal growing conditions are found in tropical regions.
• Depending on the soil type, the plant requires a regular water supply, which is achieved with the drip irrigation system and 1500-2000 mm of rainfall. 
• The maturity rate of the plant determines the harvesting of fibres. 
• Typically, the outer fibres can be separated after the plant has matured for 18 to 24 months.
• On a global scale, India is one of the largest producers of the banana fruit as well as fibre with an annual output of 24.8 million tonnes, followed by countries like China, Ecuador, Brazil, and the Philippines whereas Japan and the Philippines are the largest consumers of the banana fibre .

Table 1. Physical & mechanical properties and chemical composition of areca nut fibres

• The natural habitat soil for coir is on the coastal belt of the tropical regions where sandy and red sandy loamy soils are predominant. Besides, it can grow well in all types of soils including sandy, laterite, swampy, alluvial, black, and saline soils.
• The ideal soil conditions for better growth and yield irrespective of the type of soil it should possess proper drainage, good water holding capacity, unrestricted root development, aeration, and absence of rock or hard layer within 2 meters of the surface.
• The coconut palm tree proliferates well up to an elevation of 600m above mean sea level. Although, near the equator, productive plantations of coconut can be achieved at 1000m above mean sea level.
• A well-distributed rainfall of around 2000 mm/year is ideal for proper growth and maximum yield.
• It requires a spacious area and adequate sunlight of about 2000 hrs/year is necessary for healthy growth.
• For the growth and yield of coconut palm tree, the relative humidity should be more than 60% and the ideal mean temperature is 27±5OC.
• All over the world, the total coir production is around 2,50,000 tonnes of which 60% is produced in Kerala, India. 
• Out of the total production India tends to consume over 50% of the coir fibre produced annually .
  
  

Table 1. Proceedings Geosynthetics Asia 2000-GA2000 (May 2000), Vol 2, Pg. 207-212)

• Hemp plants can thrive in well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0pH and 7.0pH.
• Hemp prefers a mild climate with a humid atmosphere and a rainfall of at least 25 to 30 inches/year.
• It has a short cropping period and needs less pesticide and water to grow than cotton.
• Applications support the efficient use of all plant parts, including the roots and seeds.
• Bast fibres hold almost 20-30% of the stalk. The superior quality of fibres is obtained from the densely planted hemp fields.
• Though hemp is native to India and Persia, almost all the temperate and tropical zones cultivate it.
• Russia is the largest hemp fibre producer, accounting for 33% of annual worldwide production(2019).
• Countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Yugoslavia, Chile, Japan, China, and Peru produce a considerable quantity of hemp fibres annually.

• Regions with tropical or sub-tropical climates are the preferred places to grow the kapok tree.
• These trees particularly grow at an altitude which is less than 1000 feet from the sea level.
• The kapok tree requires porous volcanic soil, which has good drainage.
• These are the tallest type of tropical trees, which can grow up to 230 feet (70m).
• Due to its fast growth, it is used for reforestation.
• The fruits of the tree which carry the kapok fibres are oblong egg-shaped pouches.
• This raw material present inside the pods is light, fluffy, lustrous, and light yellow to light brown.
• Under favourable conditions, a tree may produce 330-400 fruits per year, thus gaining 15-18 kg of fibre and 30kg of seeds per year.
  
  

Table 1. Physical & mechanical properties and chemical composition of areca nut fibres