Success StoryIndustrial hemp cultivar evalution and selection
Industrial hemp cultivar evalution and selection
Author: Robert Pearce
Planning Unit: Plant and Soil Sciences
Major Program: Hemp
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Limited information is available on the necromancer of hemp cultivars for use in producing hemp fiber and hemp grain. Since 2019, I Have coordinated a National hemp dual-purpose cultivar trial on behalf of the S-1084 Hemp multi-state group. In 2024, 15 universities participated growing a common set of 12 hemp cultivars in 18 locations across the country. My program solicits and receives seed from hemp industry collaborators, distributes it to participating locations, and coordinates the collection of data. Results from 2019 t0 2022 were recently published in a scientific journal. Over time this project will result in a database of cultivar performance across and wide range of locations to aid growers in the selection of suitable hemp genetics for their location. Locally this information is used to help inform potential hemp growers about grain and fiber cultivars that perform the best in growing conditions typically encountered in KY. In the spring of 2025 information gathered from these project was used to help a Kentucky based hemp fiber company (Hempwood, Murray, KY) choose a suitable alternate cultivar for production when it became know that the cultivar they had been using would not be available. We are also owkring with KY based Victory Hemp Foods to select well-dapted cultiavrs for hemp grain production in Kentcuky. Through these efforts we are supporting Kentucky based hemp entrepeneurs and creating opportunites for Knetucky famers to add a new enterprise to their portfolio of agricultrual products.
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