Cultivation Of Industrial Hemp Research Articles

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The article highlights the current state of the world market of industrial hemp, presents forecasts for its development, it is stated that the last decade has been characterized by the active development of hemp production in many countries of the world. It is emphasized that this niche plant is called a culture of the 21st century due to a number of advantages that are inherent to it, and also that there are no generalized official statistics on the cultivation of industrial hemp in the world as of 2024. The geography of growing industrial hemp in the world is presented. It is noted that the cultivation of industrial hemp in Ukraine is subject to licensing, the level of the narcotic substance in the varieties that are allowed to grow is the lowest in the world, according to forecasts, the state can become one of the leaders in the production of industrial hemp in the world by 2050. It is highlighted that hemp raw materials are used in the most diverse branches of the economy, in the process of processing different parts of hemp, a wide range of products with high added value can be obtained. A number of other factors that testify to the economic attractiveness of hemp production are also presented, including: short growing season; the possibility of obtaining a significant harvest of biomass even on lands that are unsuitable for other crops; the possibility of cultivation without herbicides; low need for water use; expediency of introduction into crop rotation; the possibility of using all parts of the plant and others. Attention is focused on the multi-vector possibilities of hemp processing; the key factors that encourage the growth of the world market of hemp products are highlighted; the key segments of the global industrial hemp market are highlighted food and beverages, personal care products and paper. Examples of the main areas of hemp processing in Ukraine and the profitability of its cultivation in Ukraine in 2023-2024 are given. It was revealed that the opening of industrial parks, which are aimed exclusively at the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp, is a confirmation of the development of the hemp growing niche in Ukraine. It was concluded that the production of a niche culture of hemp and its processing is accompanied by a high level of economic efficiency

Enviro‐economic and feasibility analysis of industrial hemp value chain: A systematic literature review

AbstractA recent renaissance of industrial hemp has been driven by a plethora of ecologically amicable products and their profitability. To identify its environment and economic fate across the value chain (VC), this study conducts a systematic review of 98 studies published in ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus‐indexed journals. The thematic content of the articles is categorized using three deductively derived classification categories: lifecycle analysis (n = 40), VC analysis (n = 30), and feasibility analysis (n = 28). Bibliometric analysis indicates that the majority (>90%) of the studies were conducted in selected regions of Europe or North America, with further findings around regionally prioritized industrial hemp products, such as hempcrete in Southwest Europe, solid biofuel in North European states, and textile fiber and bio‐composites in East Europe and North America. Lifecycle analysis studies highlight nitrogenous fertilizer use during industrial hemp cultivation as a major ecological hotspot, which is taking a toll on the climate change index. However, hemp‐based products are generally climate‐friendly solutions when contrasted against their fossil fuel counterparts, with hempcrete in particular a highly touted carbon‐negative (−4.28 to −36.08 kg CO2 eq/m2) product. The review also identifies key issues within the hemp VC and presents innovative solutions alongside the recognition of value‐adding opportunities. Furthermore, feasibility analysis indicates unprofitability in using hemp for bioenergy production and there is a relative cost worthiness of hemp bio‐composites and hempcrete at the upstream level. Positive returns are observed under co‐production schemes. In contemplating the literature findings, we discussed and identified gap in existing literature for future exploration, including more studies to provide insights from the Global South, and the production of industrial hemp under a biophysically constrained landscape.

First survey of fungi isolated from soils and pest insects associated with organic plantations of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) in Paraguay

The cultivation of Cannabis sativa has gained importance in recent years in Paraguay and other Latin American countries where legal regulations allow its cultivation for medicinal use, as fiber, and also as food. Since several companies apply the organic cultivation model to guarantee quality and certify their product, it is necessary to study biological control alternatives that guarantee sustainable agriculture. In this study, microorganisms present in the soil of Cannabis sativa cultivation and those that infected pests found on the plant were isolated and identified. The serial dilution method was used to isolate microorganisms from the soil and direct seeding on specific culture media to isolate them from the bodies of pest insects. The isolated genera from the soil were Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Absidia, Alternaria, Mucor, Penicillium and Fusarium; the isolated genera from pest insects were Cladosporium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, and Fusarium. This study is the first report on fungi in soils and pest insects in industrial hemp cultivation in Paraguay.

Floral hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) responses to nitrogen fertilization under field conditions in the high desert.

While most studies on floral hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) concur that additions of nitrogen (N) increase plant growth, the performance of floral hemp is heavily influenced by environmental conditions, management and cultivar selection. In regions with a short growing season, the availability of soil N may determine plant developmental rates, final inflorescence biomass and cannabinoid concentrations, but no studies have addressed this for field-grown hemp under high-desert conditions. This field study evaluated the effect of no supplemental N and N fertilization at 90 kg ha-1 on three hemp cultivars (Berry Blossom, Red Bordeaux, and Tahoe Cinco) in Northern Nevada. N increased plant height, canopy cover, stem diameter and shoot biomass, but other physiological parameters were dependent on cultivar. For instance, inflorescence biomass and inflorescence-to-shoot ratio in Red Bordeaux was not affected by N fertilization. Similarly, cannabinoid concentrations were affected by timing of harvest and cultivar but not by N treatment. We evaluated the use of a SPAD meter for ease of determining leaf N deficiency, and correlations with leaf chlorophyll content showed that the SPAD meter was a reliable tool in two cultivars but not in Tahoe Cinco. N treatment increased overall CBD yield, which was driven by increases in inflorescence biomass. Tahoe Cinco was the best CBD yielding cultivar, as it maintained a high inflorescence-to-shoot ratio regardless of N treatment. Our study suggests that even though hemp may have a positive response to soil N management, adjustments based on genotype by environment interaction should be aimed at maximizing cannabinoid yield either by increasing biomass and/or CBD concentrations as long as THC levels are within the permissible <0.3% for U.S. industrial hemp cultivation.

Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions during the cultivation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) in different temperature regimes

The emission of carbon dioxide from the soil is an urgent problem, as it not only contributes to climate change, but also affects the reduction of the carbon pool in the soil, which negatively affects its fertility. Cultivation of crops with fast growth, high biomass and atmospheric carbon fixation capacity is effective in terms of reducing soil carbon dioxide emissions and organic carbon storage. The purpose of this work was to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from the cultivation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., 1753) in different temperature regimes – 15ºС, 20ºС and 30ºС. Soil without plants was used as a control. The respiration activity of the soil microbial community was assessed on the 1st, 7th, 14th, 28th, 42nd, 56th, 70th, 84th and 98th days of incubation. Biomass of plants was measured on the 98th day. It was established that there were no differences in the respiration activity of the control soil and the soil under industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., 1753) at the beginning of the experiment, however, from the 14th day, the respiration activity was significantly lower in the soil without plants. The influence of the temperature regime on respiration activity was established after 56 days of the experiment. The influence of the temperature regime of vegetation on the morphometric parameters of hemp has been established: the largest biomass of plants was found at a colder incubation temperature (15ºС). It has been established that the emission of greenhouse gases from the soil during the cultivation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., 1753) is higher compared to pure soil and depends on the temperature regime.

Use of superabsorbent plants for urban greening as a tool to sequester atmosphere carbon

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the possibility of increasing the CO2 sequestration of hemp in the conditions of urban growth in central Russia by introducing non-traditional fertilizers from agricultural waste. For this, an experiment was carried out on the cultivation of industrial hemp, including the application of fertilizers (biochar, compost, a mixture of biochar and compost). Morphometric indicators, biomass, and chlorophyll content were measured. The absence of a significant effect of fertilizers on morphological (the length of the ground part, the length of the root, biomass) and physiological (chlorophyll content) characteristics was established. Based on the data of the “Register of Green Spaces”, the area of green spaces in Kazan was determined, which can be occupied by hemp (landscaping along roads, sanitary protection zones) – 630.8 hectares. It has been established that it is most expedient to plant hemp using biochar, since this method allows additional carbon sequestration and reduces CO2 emissions from transport by up to 4% per growing season.CO2 is a greenhouse gas with a minimal Global Warming Potential (GWP), however, its contribution to climate change is high due to the large mass of emissions. At the same time, at the moment there are technologies for capturing CO2. However, there is not enough information in the literature about the use of supersequestrator plants such as industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., 1753) in large cities to reduce the carbon footprint, and there is practically no data on how sequestration can be increased through the use of various fertilizers, for example biochar.

Yield potential and factor influencing yield gap in industrial hemp cultivation under nemoral climate conditions

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a productive multi-purpose crop that can be cultivated in different climatic conditions including northern latitudes. However, no comprehensive study on the hemp yield potential has been conducted, particularly in high latitude regions. This study investigates hemp development and the suitability of the AgroC model to simulate hemp growth in cool climate. Field experiments were conducted at the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry on Endogleyic Endostagnic Endocalcaric Luvisol. The AgroC model was calibrated using data sets from 2019, whereby validation was performed with 2020−2021 data sets. The model provided adequate results when simulating hemp and its individual parts biomass, leaf area index, soil water content, and development stages. The validated model was further used to provide hemp yields and water as well as temperature limited yield gaps for the historical 1990−2021 period. Simulated average hemp biomass potential reached up to 20.1 t ha−1. Average biomass yield losses due to water stress are 8.7 t ha−1 (gap 43.3 %), while reduction due to low temperatures may reach 6.4 %, but mean reduction was only 0.4 t ha−1 (gap 2.0 %). Simulated results showed water stress as the main factor defining hemp yield losses, while low temperatures are of secondary importance.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) for phytoremediation: Energy and environmental life cycle assessment of using contaminated biomass as an energy resource

The objectives of this study were to assess the environmental impacts of growing industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) on the phytoremediation of heavy metal-polluted soil and using contaminated biomass as an energy resource. A life cycle assessment approach was adopted to evaluate the cumulative energy demand and climate change impact of using contaminated biomass for energy generation under 4 different scenarios. The industrial hemp supply chain scenarios include analyses of different subsystems (industrial hemp cultivation, seed processing, anaerobic digestion and biomass incineration for electricity generation) and different contaminated products harvested (seeds and straw, dried whole industrial hemp and fresh biomass for silage). As confirmed by a Monte Carlo simulation, the two scenarios that included anaerobic digestion and/or incineration of the contaminated biomass were the most energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable systems and obtained primary energy savings of 25.3 and 36.8 GJ ha−1, respectively, while avoiding emissions of 579 and 641 kg CO2e per reclaimed hectare, respectively. These results demonstrate the great potential of using contaminated areas for bioenergy (electricity) production while decreasing the exploitation of natural resources and pollutant emissions into the environment. Moreover, phytoremediation technologies combined with the energy valorization of biomass are recommended to change unproductive contaminated soils into exploitable and productive areas.

Improving the marketing potential of rural area through the cultivation of the industrial hemp

In presently, industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) represents a controversial plant that is not researched enough. The aim of the study presented in this paper is to show that marketing of the rural areas can be done through the cultivation of industrial hemp. Hemp has a huge marketing potential which can be a tool of rural development in Serbia. Concrete results are given from the point of the view of three groups: people who reside in cities, owners of healthy food markets and producers. The author presented survey research which shows that the majority of people are not well educated about the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp. There is a common opinion that the production of industrial hemp itself is an advertisement of a rural area. The contribution and significance of herein presented results lies in the marketing of underdeveloped rural areas, redevelopment of cultivation of sidelined agricultural crops in order to strengthen the rural area.

Hemp Pest Spectrum and Potential Relationship between Helicoverpa zea Infestation and Hemp Production in the United States in the Face of Climate Change.

Simple SummaryCultivation of industrial hemp Cannabis sativa in the United States is now being expanded due to the recent legalization of the crop. Multiple insect pests attack the crop. One of the common pests is the corn earworm Helicoverpa zea that causes extensive damage to the marketable parts of hemp. Changing global climate may lead to expansion of the geographic range of insect pests. Thus, growers of this crop in the United States have to face new and intense pest problems now and in the years to come. Here, we assess the potential relationship between corn earworm infestation and hemp production in the US in the face of climate change. We also provide an update on the arthropods associated with hemp cultivation across the US. Climate change can affect aspects of interactions between hemp and corn earworm. Temperature and photoperiod affect the development and diapause process in H. zea. Drought leads to a reduction in hemp growth. Overall, our assessment suggests the selection of varieties resistant to stresses from climate and insects. Host plant diversity may prevent populations of corn earworm from reaching outbreak levels. Ongoing research on effective management of H. zea on hemp is critical.There has been a resurgence in the cultivation of industrial hemp, Cannabis sativa L., in the United States since its recent legalization. This may facilitate increased populations of arthropods associated with the plant. Hemp pests target highly marketable parts of the plant, such as flowers, stalks, and leaves, which ultimately results in a decline in the quality. Industrial hemp can be used for several purposes including production of fiber, grain, and cannabidiol. Thus, proper management of pests is essential to achieve a substantial yield of hemp in the face of climate change. In this review, we provide updates on various arthropods associated with industrial hemp in the United States and examine the potential impact of climate change on corn earworm (CEW) Helicoverpa zea Boddie, a major hemp pest. For example, temperature and photoperiod affect the development and diapause process in CEW. Additionally, drought can lead to a reduction in hemp growth. Host plant diversity of CEW may prevent populations of the pest from reaching outbreak levels. It is suggested that hemp varieties resistant to drought, high soil salinity, cold, heat, humidity, and common pests and diseases should be selected. Ongoing research on effective management of CEW in hemp is critical.

The Cultivation of Industrial Hemp as Alternative Crop in a Less-Favoured Agricultural Area in Southern Italy: The Pignola Case Study

Industrial hemp cultivation has the potential to be an environmentally friendly and highly sustainable crop and it can fit well in crop rotation practices to increase soil fertility. For this study, two commercial varieties of industrial hemp with low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content were used to test its reintroduction chance in the study area and to evaluate its response in terms of yield with respect to the soil and drought conditions of the area. During the vegetative period, non-invasive measures of the soil’s water status were performed using Watermark probes and ground penetrating radar. In addition, hemp crops vigour monitoring was performed by means of Sentinel 2 multispectral optical remote sensing data. In the absence of precipitation and/or irrigation, and with high consumption of soil water by the hemp crop due to evapotranspiration, the crop has completed its cycle thanks to its resistance to water stress conditions. From the soil water and satellite monitoring results, there is a good agreement with the field results in terms of water stress and its effects on crop vigour. This study contributes to a better understanding of the possibility of hemp crop reintroduction in areas where water deficit occurs, which could open up the opportunity for selecting hemp crop cultivars that can be grown under different agro-ecological conditions and are also of great commercial interest for decision makers involved in sustainable crop management and in the reduction of fertilizers and pollutants released into the environment.

Industrial hemp as an agricultural crop in Ghana

BackgroundCannabis is one of humanity’s oldest crops with several uses, from food to clothing and medicine. It remains one of the most controversial crops whose production, possession, and usage are regulated differently across jurisdictions. Academic research and advocacy have resulted in the redefinition of the legal status of cannabis in several countries. Ghana recently reviewed its laws on cannabis, allowing for the cultivation of industrial hemp. The legislation paves the way for Ghana to benefit from industrial hemp and include it in the agricultural cash crop list. This paper looks at the economic prospects of industrial hemp in the wake of the new law.MethodsA systematic electronic research was conducted to identify journal articles, reports, news, blogs, and other relevant materials on cannabis, marijuana, and industrial hemp. The electronic search was done primarily on Google, Google Scholar, Bing, and “Baidu Xueshi” to identify cannabis-related publications. The search was expanded beyond Ghana to find other perspectives on cannabis. The search began in January 2020 on Google using search terms like “cannabis in Ghana” and “which countries have legal cannabis.” Materials on history, financial prospects, industrial uses, and legislations on cannabis and industrial hemp were reviewed.ResultsExisting research on cannabis in Ghana has focused on the psychotic effects of cannabis other than its industrial aspects, which has potentials for the economy. Industrial hemp has CBD with no psychotic effects and is very useful in making medicine, paper, and textiles. Ghana has both the land and workforce to produce hemp to feed local industries and the international market.ConclusionThe new legislation can put Ghana in a position to benefit from the current cannabis industry. Therefore, policymakers should implement a registration regime that would favor local investors and farmers to reduce illegal production. The regulatory framework should establish a well-equipped agency that will supervise production and research into hemp development.

Discrimination of legal and illegal Cannabis spp. according to European legislation using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics.

Aerial parts containing cannabidiol can be purchased in a legal way but cannabis used as recreational drug is illegal in most European countries. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol is one of the main cannabinoids responsible for the psychotropic effect. European Union countries and Switzerland authorize a concentration of THC of 0.2 % and 1.0 % w/w, respectively, for smoking products and industrial hemp. Public health inspectors and law enforcement officers need to check the legality of samples. Therefore there is a need for innovative approaches, allowing quality control of these products in an easy way and preferably on site. In many countries, cultivation of industrial hemp is permitted if the THC content does not exceed 0.2 % w/w. A portable equipment could be a useful measuring tool for farmers to check for the THC content at regular time. In this work, 189 samples were analysed with a benchtop and a handheld NIR device in order to create two classification methods according to European and Swiss laws. All samples were also analysed by GC-FID to determine their THC concentration. Supervised analysis was applied in order to establish the best model. For the first classification, the accuracy was 91% for the test set with the benchtop data and 93 % for the test set with the handheld data. For the second classification, the accuracies were respectively 91 % and 95 %. The obtained models, hyphenating spectroscopic techniques and chemometrics, enable to discriminate legal and illegal cannabis samples according to European and Swiss laws.

Seeking suitable agronomical practices for industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation for biomedical applications

The last climate change forecasting and the water scarcity scenarios in many semi-arid agricultural areas worldwide, such as the southern Spain, are promoting changes in the crop pattern of irrigated agriculture, being introduced new species characterized by its water-stress tolerance. In the last few years, there is an increasing interest in the cultivation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) to manufacture therapeutic products derived from non-psychotropic cannabinoids and other secondary metabolites. This work evaluates the agronomical response of two industrial hemp cultivars (Carma and Ermes) subjected to different management practices. The trial was conducted during two seasons (2012–2013), from April to October. During this monitoring period, different plant densities (PD), sowing times (ST), irrigation doses (ID) and cropping systems (CS) were evaluated. At the end of each season, yield parameters (fresh and dry weight, dry weight of flowers and leaves, and the ratio between this late and total dry weight) were obtained. Moreover, the content of the most relevant cannabinoids (CBG, CBD, Δ9-THC, and CBC) were measured in both cultivars, and for the different growth conditions considered. According to our findings, both cultivars evidenced similar responses with significant improvements for the earliest ST (at the end of April) and the highest PD (33,333 and 16,667 plants ha−1). In relation to the ID, not clear responses were observed in terms of active biomass production, being the effects depending on the interactions between PD and ST. Finally, it was noticeable the improvements related to the active biomass production and cannabinoids content when plants were grown under plastic macro-tunnels (among 1.3 and 2 times higher, depending on the cultivar) in comparison to the obtained results under open field conditions.

High added-value compounds from Cannabis threshing residues

Industrial hemp cultivation in Europe is dual-purpose, with stalks providing fibers and hurds, and seeds being used for food, feed and pharmaceutical applications. Economic sustainability of hemp cultivation should encompass the possibility of recovering non-narcotic secondary metabolites from hemp by-products (leaves, leaflets and bracts) originating from seed harvest and seed cleaning procedures. Surprisingly, no information is currently available on the contents of high added value bioactive compounds (CBD, CBG, cannflavin A, Δ9-THC) in industrial hemp inflorescence and threshing residues. This observation provided a rationale for investigating the issue on three monoecious varieties grown in Northern Italy. The concentration of target compounds was monitored from full-flowering until plant senescence by LC–MS/MS analysis of methanolic extracts of the plant biomass. The anti-inflammatory prenylated flavonoid cannflavin A was present in all varieties at levels mainly affected by genotype and air temperature. Conversely, the concentration of CBD, currently the clinically most promising non-narcotic cannabinoid, correlated to the overall extent and distribution of precipitation during growing cycle. Our findings suggest that postponing harvest after seed maturity increases the CBD contents and increase the CBD/Δ9-THC ratio in harvest threshing.

The Application of Raw Materials Obtained from the Cultivation of Industrial Hemp in Various Industries

Abstract Subject and purpose of work: The raw materials which are the purpose of the current hemp cultivation (&lt;0.2% THC) are fibre, seeds and shives. This study describes the characteristics the raw materials obtained from the industrial hemp and described in detail the possibilities of their applications in pulp and paper, textile, pharmaceutical, construction and food industries. Analysis of the issues: Hemp straw consists of a porous ligneous core, which may be cut into smaller pieces, called hemp shives and of the fibre around the core. Hemp cellulose is used to produce paper pulp or plastics. In the construction sector, hemp fibre is used to produce, among other things, thermal insulation materials. Hemp shives is used as a filler for a composite based on lime binder, which is used as a wall material with good hygrothermal conditions confirmed by proprietary research. Hemp seeds are used for the production of cooking oil. Hempseed oil is also used in the pharmaceutical industry, e.g. to produce skin creams. Conclusions: Raw materials obtained from industrial hemp have a variety of applications. Currently, new directions in hemp application are being sought and tested, like for example hemp lime composite and bio-composites. The positive environmental impact resulting from the cultivation of hemp should be the main reason for simplifying the procedures for the commencement of its cultivation in many countries, e.g. in Poland.

The Influence of Different Seeding Space and Organic Fertilization Level Upon Production and Mass of 1000 Seeds, Recorded in Some Hemp Varieties

AbstractHemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was used for textile and cordage more than 4000 years. The cultivation of industrial hemp declined in the 19th century but it remains one of the oldest crops in history. Despite of the decline, nowadays interest for this crop has recently been renewed within various European countries (Roman et al., 2012). The aim of the research is to observe the evolution of production values and physical parameters (MMB- grain) under the influence of different seeding space and organic fertilization level recorded in some hemp varieties approved in Romania, with a low level of THC.

Genetic Variation in Hemp and Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) According to Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms*

Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) is one of the earliest known cultivated plants and is important in the global economy today as a licit and an illicit crop. Molecular markers distinguishing licit and illicit cultivars have forensic utility, but no direct comparison of hemp and marijuana amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) has been made to date. Genetic variation was surveyed in three populations of fiber hemp and a potent cultivar of marijuana using AFLP markers. Ten primer pairs yielded 1206 bands, of which 88% were polymorphic. Eighteen bands represented fixed differences between all fiber populations and the drug cultivar. These markers have practical utility for (1) establishing conspiracy in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana, (2) identifying geographic sources of seized drugs, and (3) discriminating illegal, potent marijuana cultivars from hemp where the cultivation of industrial hemp is permitted.