UTILISATION OF SISAL FIBRE (AGAVE SISALANA L.).

Sisal is a perennial plant identified by its 50 - 150 thick, spiky, long and rigid spirally arranged leaves. Upon maturation, pale yellow/shiny white fibre can be extracted from leaves by retting followed by washing and drying. Easy to raise on wastelands in a wide range of agroclimates, sustained fibre yield for a considerable long duration and versatility of the fibre as a potential input material for various applications makes it a viable option for employment generation and rural development thus leading to sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]