Family: Urticaceae
Genus: Boehmeria
Species:nivea
(i) General background on the plant
Ramie is a woody herb found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, which can be grown for fodder or fibre [1].
(ii) Details of quality characters
When harvested for fodder at 40 cm high and dried to 40% moisture composition, the composition was:
1.75 - 1.05% lysine
0.75 - 0.14% methionine
0.31 - 0.18% tryptophan
also, 13.3 mg/100g DM carotenoids and 0.74 mg/100g DM riboflavin [1].
For fibre production its fibres are the longest, toughest and most silky of all known vegetable fibres. These are used in rope; Canton or Chinese linen and gas mantles. The stems, however, are difficult to decorticate [2].
The crop is highly palatable to livestock. It is as good or better nutritionally than other fodder materials, although care must be taken in storage to prevent fermentation or deterioration in storage.
The plant however tends to take up whatever minerals are present in the soil. This could cause problems for example high uptake of molybdenum can lead to conditioned copper deficiency. As a results of high uptake of minerals there might also be other trace mineral imbalances produced in livestock.
(iii) Current production and yields
Yields up to 2t/ha crude fibre. For fodder production (in subtropical and tropical regions). 14 cuts/year yield 11.2 t DM/ha
When utilised for fodder Ramie yields 3 times more protein per hectare per year than lucerne. However Ramie does not fix as much atmospheric nitrogen as Lucerne and would need heavy N fertilisation [1].
(iv) Constraints on production
A subtropical / tropical plant, may be suited to conditions in southern European states.
(v) Markets and market potential
Production in East Asia approximately 100,000t of great local importance. It is largely replaced on the world market by synthetic fibres.
(vi) Other information
(vii) Contacts
(viii) References
1. Machin, D. H. (1977) Ramie as an Animal Feed; a review. Tropical Science 1977 19 (4)
2. The Plant Book. Mabberley, D. J. Published 1987 by the Cambridge University Press