EFFECTS OF PLASTIC MULCH VS. OPEN-BEDS ON BIOMASS YIELD IN SIX LOW-THC CANNABIS SATIVA HEMP STRAINS
Grandon, B.1; Bloomquist, M2; Edmisten, K3; Davis, J4; Post, A51Horticulture Agent, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Asheboro, NC, 27203
2Research Associate, North Carolina State University, Mills River, NC, 28759
3Professor, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695
4Professor, North Carolina State University, Mills River, NC, 28759
5Professor, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695
Abstract:
North Carolina farmers have been growing Cannabis sativa for CBD production, as part of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, since 2017. Farmers are currently utilizing farming innovations that are commonly found with other horticultural crops, specifically plastic mulch, which is common in tomato production, and open-bed cultivation, which is prevalent in tobacco production. This study was to determine the differences in biomass production for six different Cannabis sativa strains, when utilizing these two production systems. Located at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River, North Carolina, this project consisted of blocks of five plants, with four replications for each of the six strains, on the two bed types for a total of 240 plants. All plants were installed on June 28th, 2019 and harvested when strains were determined to be at peak maturity, with 75% amber trichome coloration. The results of this study showed that there was a significant impact due to the type of bed when analyzing total size of the plants, but there was no significant difference in the whole dry weight or stem diameter when averaged across strains. This shows that farmers that are comfortable with a certain type of bedding operation can continue to utilize that system without a concern of yield loss, no matter the strain that is selected to grow.