1996 Hemp Trials in Ontario, Canada 1-5

Courtesy of Gordon Scheifele, M.Sc et. al.: Bottom Page or Next pages 5-7

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Gordon Scheifele, M.Sc.
Research Scientist
Peter Dragla, M.Sc.
Research Assistant

Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology
Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada, N0P 2C0

and

Claude Pinsonneault and Jean Marie Laprise
Kenex Ltd.
R.R. #8, Chatham, Ontario, Canada N7M 5J8

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The 1996 industrial hemp research project at Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology, Ridgetown, Ont. was funded by Kenex Ltd, Chatham, Ont.

The project consisted of 5.4 hectares research plots located on Sandy loam, Clyde loam and Brookston clay soil types. Previous crops were: hemp, corn and wheat. The earliest seeding was May 24 and the latest June 25. Inadequate seed bed preparations resulted in poor uneven emergence. Severe rains, hail and winds resulted in further reduction of stands. Final harvest stands were 21 to 42 % of anticipated.

Actual field harvest yields of retted stem dry matter ranged from 4.6 - 7 tonnes/ha (Brookston clay and Clyde loam, respectively).

The hemp canopy is an excellent interceptor of light and was intercepting 90% of the transmitted light within 38 days from seeding compared to oats 69%, corn 30% and soybeans 25%.

The hemp crop appears to have a suppressant effect on soybean cyst nematode. Promoted industrial hemp varieties with established low Delta⁹ THC (less than .3%) can produce higher levels given the right conditions (plant injury?)

Hemp fiber yield is positively related to stem diameter and length. Stem length increases with thicker stems and stem thickness is indirectly related to population density. Optimum fiber yields will result from plant densities allowing for maximum stem length and thickness.

The hemp crop requires relatively high levels of fertility and fertile soil for maximum yield production. Harvesting the stem only, returns 69%, 33%, 53%, 72% and 72% of N, P, K, Mg and Ca plant uptake to the soil in organic form. The stem biomass dry matter is about 67% of the total plant dry matter. The hemp fiber yield is about 35% and hurds 65% of the retted stem dry matter.

Present forage harvesting equipment will work for small acreages but heavier adapted equipment to handle the tough fiber and tall stem will be essential. A sickle bar type mower is essential for swathing.

Monoecious hemp varieties will produce the maximum yields for an industrial hemp fiber industry. A 6 - 7 tonne/ha fiber crop (18 - 21 t/ha retted stems) should be achievable on good fertile soil with optimum fertility and a good uniform plant stand (250 - 300/ M2).

Maximum yields will result with late April early May seedings and yield reduces as seeding is delayed with potential latest seeding June 25 (resulting in less than 50% of potential crop).

The excellent light interception of the hemp canopy resulting in near total shade is an excellent suppressant of weeds. A poor stand of hemp can and will become weedy if weed pressure is present. Successfully establishing a seeding of hemp requires an excellent well worked seedbed for maximum seed/soil contact. The hemp plant will not sustain soil compaction or excessive moisture. Neither does it do well following wheat on Brookston clay soil.

A fiber hemp crop requires half the growing season of a crop of corn, has a longer window for seeding and is harvested about the same time as cereals. A poor stand of hemp can and will become weedy if weed pressure is present.

Successful field retting requires a delicate balance of weather conditions resulting in nightly dews and good daily drying conditions. Southwestern Ontario summer weather conditions may require harvesting and field retting to commence not before end of July to assure adequate dew conditions. Seedings too early in the spring may result in harvesting before adequate dew conditions exist.

1. 1996 FUNDING

2. INTRODUCTION

3. OBJECTIVES

4. RESEARCH OUTLINE

4.1 RCAT

4.2 Field 1

4.3 Field 2

4.4 Field 3

4.5 Measurements

5. 1996 WEATHER

6. 1996 FIELD HARVEST SCHEDULE

7. 1996 HAND HARVEST SCHEDULE - PLOTS ½M²

7.2 Diagrammatic Outline for Hand Harvest

8. FORAGE HARVESTING EQUIPMENT FIELD TESTED

9. DECORTICATING

10. RESULTS

10.1 Plant Density Evaluations

10.1-1 Table- Plant Density Evaluations

10.2 Soybean Cyst Nematode Assessment

11. FIELD SUMMARIES

11.1-1 Field 1 - Unico - B

11.1-2 Comparing Field and Hand Harvest

11.1-3 Plant Density History

11.2-1 Field 2 - Unico B

11.2-2 Comparing Field and Hand Harvest

11.2-3 Plant Density Histories

11.3-1 Field 2 - Kompolti

11.3-2 Comparing Field and Hand Harvest

11.3-3 Plant Density Histories

11.4-1 Field 3 - Unico-B Late Planting

11.5-1 Field 3 - Kompolti - Corn

11.5-2 Kompolti - Wheat

11.5-3 Kompolti - Comparing Field & Hand Harvest

11.5-4 Plant Density History

12. VARIETY RATES OF GROWTH - RCAT 8

12.1 Graph Summarizing Variety Rates of Growth

13. LIGHT PENETRATION

14. Δ⁹-THC DETERMINATION

15. HEMP ROOT BIOMASS & NUTRIENT COMPOSITION

16. TOTAL HEMP PLANT BIOMASS AND NUTRIENT COMPOSITION

17. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STEM LENGTH, DIAMETER AND PLANT DENSITY

18. TOTAL ABOVE GROUND HEMP PLANT BIOMASS PRODUCTION

19. FIBER YIELD AS AFFECTED BY PLANT MATURITY

20. FIBER YIELD FOR FIELD RETTING OVER 3 WEEKLY INTERVALS

21. VARIETY COMPARISONS

22. DATE OF SEEDING

23. FERTILITY REQUIREMENTS

24. CONCLUDING REMARKS

1. 1996 DIRECT AND IN KIND FUNDING

Kenex Ltd. - Direct

(Tobacco Diversification Funding, Chatham/Kent Community Futures and Kenex Ltd.)

RCAT/OMAFRA - In Kind

Laprise Farms - In Kind

Pinsonneault Farms - In Kind

2. INTRODUCTION

There is the expectation that industrial fiber hemp will become a new crop for Southwestern Ontario within the next five years. The production research in 1996 was pursued in preparation of this expectation and to begin establishing a database for production recommendations for the new industry.

The research summarized in this report was contracted and funded by Kenex Ltd. The licenses were issued by the International Control and Licensing Division, Bureau of Drug Surveillance, Health Protection Branch, Ottawa, Canada were as follows: To Gordon Scheifele, Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology.

96/N/7168 - License for Distribution

96/N/7167 - License for Cultivation (0.62) RCAT

I/336/N/96 - Permit to Import from Romania

96/N/7197 - License for Cultivation - Jean Marie Laprise (1.6 ha)

96/N/7198 - License for Cultivation - Jean Marie Laprise (1.6 ha)

96/N/7199 - License for Cultivation - Claude Pinsonneault (1.6 ha)

96/N/7203 - License for Distribution - Claude Pinsonneault (1.6 ha)

Total seeded for hemp fiber production was 5.43 hectares.

3. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the 1996 hemp research project were to identify:

4. RESEARCH OUTLINE

4.1 RCAT. Sandy loam to Clay loam soil - corn previous crop. Small plot (3 m x 6 m replicated 4 x) trials were seeded at Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology for the following tests: I) Evaluation of 6 varieties (Secuieni 1 (M), Irene (M), Lovrin 110 (D), Zolotonosha 13 (M), Kompolti (D) and Unico B (D); ii) Evaluation of 17.5 cm and 8.75 cm row widths at 300 and 400 seeds/M² (75 and 90 kg/ha, respectively); iii) Seeding dates for May 25, May 31, June 7 and June 15, using Unico B; iv) Three fertility levels - zero additional fertility, 50% of recommended rate, 100% of recommended rate (N = 135 kg/ha, P₂0₅ = 40 kg/ha, K₂0 = 60 kg/ha, Ca0 = 120 kg/ha, using Unico B. These trials consisted of a total of 0.62 hectares.

4.2 Field 1. Clyde loam soil type with seed corn as previous crop. Seeded May 24/96 to Unico B at a seeding rate of 500 and 425 seeds/M² for high and low populations, respectively. The germination was 85% resulting in actual viable seeds of 425 and 361/M² for high and low populations, respectively (1.6 ha). See Table 4.6 for Summary.

4.3 Field 2. Clyde loam soil with commercial corn as previous crop. This field was established as soybean cyst nematode (SCN) infested. Part of this field was seeded May 24 to Unico B at 425 seeds/M² (85% germination = 361/M² actual) and part to Kompolti at 425 seeds/M² (72% germination = 306/M² actual). A third seeding was done late *June 25) to Unico B at 425 seeds/M² total field = 1.6 ha. See Table 4.6 for Summary

4.4 Field 3. Brookston clay soil with wheat as previous crop for part of the field and commercial corn for 2nd part. Kompolti was seeded on May 24 at 500 seeds/M² (72% germination = 360/M² actual) and 190 seeds/M ² . Total of 1.6 ha. See Table 4.6 for Summary.

4.5 Measurements. The following measurements were made through the 1996 growing and harvesting season and data reported: soil growing degree days from seeding to emergence; weed density after emergence and at harvest; weekly plant growth rates; light penetration through hemp canopy; total field dry matter weight (TFDMW); Dry Matter Yield for stems, leaves, and tops (DM-S, DM-L, DM-T); stem diameter and length; water retted dry matter weight (WRDMW); field retted dry matter weight (FRDMW); bast fiber and hurds dry matter weight (BFDMW & HDMW); root biomass (RB); Δ⁹ THC determination; field harvest yield; field harvest and hand harvest comparisons; soybean cyst nematode (SCN) analysis; performance of hemp varieties.

All the seeding was done using conventional grain drills and calibrating the rates based on seed density of each variety at a 2.5 to 3 cm depth.

The soil preparations for Field 1, 2 & 3 were only fair for proper seedbed conditions resulting in uneven plant emergence and areas with poor emergence. Another discing would have significantly improved seedbed conditions for better emergence.

Table 4.6 Summary for fields 1, 2 & 3 in Dover Township. Each plot 1.6 Ha

* 96 kg/ha = 500 seeds/M²; ** 81 kg/ha = 425 seeds/M²; 36 kg/ha = 190 seeds/M². Seeding was done with a conventional grain drill for all trials. The grain drill was calibrated for seeding rate by first establishing weight of seed for each variety: weight of 1000 seeds - Unico-B = 19.7 g; Zolotonosha 13 = 15.2 g, Kompolti = 17.4 g. Seeding depth was 2½ - 3 cm at Dover Township plots.

5. WEATHER CONDITIONS

Several periods of severe weather significantly affected the 1996 Hemp research. June 8 - 18/96 had several heavy rains resulting in flooding in field 1 and 2 and RCAT plots. July 7 witnessed a destructive high wind, hail and rainstorm, which did significant plant breakage in field 1 and 3 and destroyed all but the variety trails at RCAT. August was nearly a total drought (<8-mm precipitation) with heavy dews on a nightly basis.

6. FIELD HARVEST SCHEDULE

The figure 7.2-1 below outlines the protocol for the 26 hand harvested ½ M² plots (sheaves) for field retting and water retting treatments at each cutting time. See section 7 above for schedule re: dates of harvest and days after seeding (maturity) for each cutting date.

Fig 7.2 DIAGRAMMATIC OUTLINE FOR HAND HARVEST

The figure 7.2-1 above outlines the protocol for the 26 hand harvested ½ M² plots (sheaves) for field retting and water retting treatments at each cutting time. See section 7 above for schedule re: dates of harvest and days after seeding (maturity) for each cutting date.

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8. FORAGE HARVESTING EQUIPMENT FIELD TESTED

The following forage harvesting equipment was field tested:
- Rotary disc bine - did not work;
- Hay mower conditioner - did not work;
- Sickle-bar mower - worked;
- New Holland windrow inverter - did not work, stems too long;
- Tedder rake for turning swath and wind rowing - worked;
- Large round soft core baler - worked; Conventional New Holland small square baler - worked.

9. DECORTICATION

The decortication process involves the physical separation of the bast fibers from the hurds (center core of the stem). This is mechanically done by forcefully crushing the dried stems and combing hurds out of the crude bast fiber.

This was done manually by soaking the stems for 2 hours in water and removing the fibers by hand, stripping them away from the center stem (hurds). The stems were soaked to reduce dust inhalation which was causing respiratory problems even with masks. The decorticated fiber and hurds were oven dried and weighed for BFDMW and HDMW.

Unico-B and Kompolti seed was one year old with germination of 85% and 72%, respectively. Heavy rains a week prior to plant stand counts (6-12/96) and uneven emergence due to rough seed beds resulted in 30-35% reduced stand for Unico-B and 40% for Kompolti in field 2 (severe flooding) and 12% in field 3 (minimum flooding). The range in plant stands shows the high level of variability in all 3 fields. The final plant population at harvest time was again reduced 50% due to severe wind and hail (breakage) and rainstorm July 7/96. See Table 10.1-1 above.

The actual final harvested stand for each of the 3 fields was 42-33%, 31%, 21% & 42% for Unico-B field 1 and 2 and Kompolti for field 2 and 3, respectively. (Table 10.1-1)

The conditions of the soil and seed beds for all 3 fields at seeding time were fair to good and emergence was more variable in field 1 and 2 than in field 3. The severe rain June 7-15/96 and July 7/96 wind/rain and hailstorm was the major contributing factor to stand loss. Better seedbed preparations prior to seeding (another discing) would have also helped considerably in establishing a higher and more uniform emergence stand.

The RCAT seeding suffered due to tractor wheel compaction marks. Shortly after emergence to July 7/96 had storm the tractor wheel tracks were prominently visible due to reduced plant growth. Soil conditions were slightly too wet at seeding time resulting in the compaction.

Field 2 (established to be SCN infested) was assessed for SCN presence and severity before seeding and after harvest. The hemp crop appears to have suppressed the SCN (340 to 60 cyst larvae from spring to fall) and stunt nematode compared to the soybean section of the same field (340 to 2,680 cyst larvae from spring to fall). See Table 10.2-1 below.

Table# 24.1 1996- Nematode Laboratory Analysis Results

The hemp crop appears to have a suppressant effect on SCN reducing cyst larvae population from 340 (spring) to 60 (fall). The section of the same field planted to soybeans had 2680 cyst larvae in the fall. Field 2 needs to be assessed further in 1997 to further establish the short term and long term effect of hemp on SCN.

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*Industrial-Hemp has no psychoactive properties following definition of the European Economic Community (EEC); THC content is less than 0.3%. In general, low THC-seed varieties without psychoactive properties are those that have a THC content of less than 1%. (See also No-THC Hemp-seed.) THC= Delta-9 TetraHydroCannabinol.

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