Non-Wood Plant Products and their Utilization

N.W.P.P is reffers to Non-Wood Plant products. The following points highlight the four main types of Non-Wood Plant products and their utilization. The types are-

1. Dyes
2. Rubber
3. Gums 
4. Resin

First types Dyes-

1) Curcuma 

Botanical name- Curcuma longa

Family- Zingiberaceae

PLANT PART USED

Rhizome

Uses- 

1. Yeild yellow dye.
2. When added alkali turns red and is known as kumkum.

2) Amla

Botanical name- Emblica officinales

Family- Euphorbiaceae

PLANT PART USED

Fruit

Uses-

Dried fruit is used as dye after boiling is water and yeilds bluish black colour called abnusi and is used to dye hair.

Second Types Rubber-

1) Para Rubber

Botanical name- Hevea brasilinesis

Family - Euphorbiaceae

PLANT PART USED 

Latex

It is used in making mounting for motors and other machinery, gasket, transport materials.

Uses- 

It is used in making mounting for motors and other machinery, gasket, Transport materials.

2) Guayule

Botanical name- Parthenium argentatum

Family-Asteraceae 

PLANT PART USED 

Rubber is accumulated in both top and roots of plants. Plant are harvested to get it.

Uses-

1. It is low quality rubber in comparision of para rubber.
2. It is used for making hot water bottle, ice caps etc.

Major rubber producing plants 

Third Types Gums

1) Gums Arabic

Botanical name- Acasia Senegal

Family- Mimosaceae

PLANT PART USED

Gums from bark of trees.

Uses-

1. Used in office glue.
2. In food industry.
3. As sweet, jellies and chewing gum.

2) Guar Gum

Botanical name - Cyamopsis tetragonolobus

Family- Fabaceae

PLANT PART USED

Gum from seeds of cluster bean.

Uses- 

1. Emulsifier in salad
2. As stabilizer in ice cream.

Major Gum producing plants

Type fourth Resin

Rssin may be a three types.

1. Hard resin
2. Oleoresin
3. Gum Resin

1) Hard resin

Little amount of essential oil, solid transport brittle no odour or taste, non-volatile, poor conductor of electricity, burn in air with smoky flame.

These are following types.

i) Copals - No oil, yields hard elastic varnish used in out door works.

• East African copal
• West African copal
• Kauri copal
• South African copal
• Manila copal

ii) Amber - It is fossil resin found along the shores of Baltic sea. It was obtained from Pinus succinifera. Amber is used to make mouth piece of pipes, Holder of cigar and to increase elasticity of rayon fibres.

iii) DAMAR- Damar is obtained from the members of Dipterocarpaceae. The chief genera are producing DAMAR are Valuria indica, Canaricum stricum etc.

iv) Lacquer- It is the natural varnish obtained from Rhus vemociflea. The tree is native of China. It is cultivated in China.

2) Oleoresin - 

In addition to resin the oil content is more. Less or More liquid in nature with distinct aroma and flavour such as- 

i) Canada balsam

Terpentine

3) Gum Resin

It is a mixture of true gum and resin combining the character of both. They contain small quantity of essential oil and large of colouring substances.

Generally obtained from the members of Apiceae and Burseraceae.

Example- 

i) Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida)

ii) Galbanum ( Ferula galbuniflua)

Uses of resins-

Use in making Soaps, Oil cloth, medicine, plastic, varnish, firework, floor cooling etc.