Abstract
Six dioecious (Antal, KC Dóra, Kompolti hibrid TC, Monoica, Tiborszallasi and Tisza) and four monoecious (Fedora 17, Futura 75, Santhica 27 and USO 31) European hemp varieties were sown at a density of 300 viable seeds per m2 and a row spacing of 12.5 cm in a three-year field trial (2017-2019) to evaluate the yield of the stems (fresh and dry) and some other biometric characteristics of the stems. No pesticides were used during plant growth to suppress weeds, diseases and pests. The highest yield of fresh and dry stems was achieved by the variety Antal with 12.3 t ha-1 and 5.3 t ha-1, respectively, followed by the varieties Futura 75 and Tiborszallasi. The lowest yields of fresh and dry stems were recorded for the monecious variety USO 31 (6.0 and 2.6 t ha-1). In general, dioecious varieties had higher and thicker stems than monoecious varieties. The year of production had a highly significant impact on all variables, in particular on the proportion of weed biomass, which was the highest in 2019 (77.2 %), when weather conditions were most unfavourable for hemp cultivation. The correlation analysis between fresh/dry stem yields and weed biomass was highly negative (-0.85 and -0.83) and strongly statistically significant (p < 0.001), indicating the issue related to weed management.
Highlights
From the 16th to the 18th century, hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was the most important fibre crop in Europe, together with flax (Struik et al, 2000)
The hemp stems have been produced because of the long and strong bast fibres traditionally used in the textile and paper industry (Mandolino & Carboni, 2004)
The cultivation of hemp is less demanding compared to some other crops
Summary
From the 16th to the 18th century, hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was the most important fibre crop in Europe, together with flax (Struik et al, 2000). The woody part of the hemp stem is called hurd, shive, and is used for animal bedding, pulp production and the manufacture of building materials, e.g. hemp concrete (Karus & Vogt, 2004; Elfordy et al, 2008). This versatile use of hemp stems makes hemp one of the oldest non-food crops used worldwide (Schultes, 1970). Due to its rapid juvenile growth, the plant itself successfully suppresses weeds It could be grown in a relatively narrow crop rotation and has a low fertilization requirement (van der Werf, 1994). Hemp is a crop whose cultivation is very much influenced by soil and weather conditions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
