Quantitative fiber analysis of leaves and stems of three local Algerian plant species

The escalating need for environmentally sustainable materials has catalyzed extensive research into natural fibers as viable substitutes for synthetic counterparts across various industrial sectors. This investigation focuses on the biometric evaluation of stem and leaf fibers from three native Algerian plant species: Eucalyptus globulus, Argania spinosa L., and Ricinus communis L., with the aim of assessing their structural properties and potential for sustainable exploitation in eco-friendly applications. The fiber extraction was conducted using an equal-volume mixture of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide at 60°C for a duration of 72 hours. Fiber lengths from both stem and leaf samples of all species were measured precisely using a micrometer, with values ranging from 0.21 to 2 mm. To assess the morphological differences between species and tissue types, Student’s t-test was employed to compare the mean fiber lengths. The results indicated that the calculated t-values exceeded the critical t-value, demonstrating statistically significant differences in fiber length between tissues within each species. Stem-derived fibers from A. spinosa and E. globulus were identified as long fibers, with lengths ranging from 0.79 to 2.00 mm. In contrast, leaf fibers from E. globulus and R. communis were categorized as medium-length fibers, measuring between 0.65 and 1.83 mm. Conversely, the stem fibers of R. communis and the leaf fibers of A. spinosa were classified as short fibers, with a length range of 0.21 to 0.87 mm. This suggests that stem and leaf fibers possess distinct morphological characteristics (tapered, bifurcated, rounded, and flattened forms), which may influence their mechanical properties and suitability for specific industrial applications. Two-way ANOVA revealed highly significant effects of species and organ on fiber length (F = 17.315; F = 27.730 respectively), with a dominant species × organ interaction (F = 148.587). This interaction, accounting for the largest explained variance, underscores organ-specific genetic regulation of fiber elongation and cell wall deposition, precluding generalized species-level fiber length characterization. Understanding this variation is essential for optimizing the selection and processing of fibers for papermaking, composites and textile.