journal article·2026-01-23

Microbial retting of hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) from the Black Sea Region

Aslı Şahiner Danışkan, Pınar Çelik, Ayşegül Körlü

AUTEX Research Journal· Volume 26· Issue 1
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Abstract

Abstract Hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) is a fiber plant. The fibers are extracted from the stem of the plant. One of the fiber extraction methods is retting. However, the traditional water retting method cannot be controlled totally, leading to variations in the retting process and affecting the overall quality of the extracted fibers. Therefore, extracted fiber quality is inconsistent. In this study, a locally adapted microbiological retting method was developed via using autochthonous strains isolated from hemp retting water in the Black Sea region of Türkiye. At the beginning of the study, three high polygalacturonase-producing isolates ( Pantoea sp ., Bacillus sp., and Clostridium beijerinckii ) were selected, and then, a dual-phase inoculation protocol (aerobic followed by anaerobic) was applied to hemp stalks. The developed retting was completed in 7 days. Fiber quality determined by SEM, FTIR, color and yellowness measurements, fiber yield, and spinning performance. The new process removed pectin effectively without breaking fiber integrity. Pantoea sp., and Clostridium beijerinckii were first used in hemp retting. Then, retted fibers with the new method were successfully blended with cotton and spun into Ne 12/1 yarn in an open-end spinning system. The new approach supplies a rapid retting model for high-quality hemp fiber production.
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Affiliations

Department of Biology , Basic and Industrial Microbiology Section, School of Science, Ege University , Bornova , Izmir , Türkiye

Department of Textile Engineering , Faculty of Engineering, Ege University , Bornova , Izmir , Türkiye

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