Five New Hemp Production Research Programs in the Works

By Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research|November 4, 2022

The Hemp Research Consortium, a public-private partnership to advance science supporting a sustainable hemp industry (learn more here), has announced its first grants to foster hemp research. The Consortium and matching funders are providing a total of $1,119,198 to Cornell University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Kentucky to fund projects covering genetic research, breeding techniques, and growing conditions.

“People have cultivated hemp for centuries, but we have only had the potential to apply cutting-edge science and technology to research and breeding within the last five years,” says Dr. Jeffrey Rosichan, director of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research’s Crops of the Future Collaborative. “We now have the potential to expand our knowledge of hemp and its potential by leaps and bounds, and this pioneering research provides great opportunities for breakthroughs.”

“These projects represent the first of many collaborative, cross-cutting consortium initiatives to address hemp agronomic challenges and accelerate the industry as a whole,” says Dr. David Suchoff, director of the Hemp Research Consortium and assistant professor at NC State University.

Here’s a closer look at the research being funded:

Dr. Jocelyn Rose, Cornell University (Matching Funders: Agilent Technologies, Cornell University): Hemp breeding research is still in its infancy due to the crop’s categorization as a controlled substance until recently, and there is no genome-wide molecular marker system that has gained acceptance in the hemp community as a common and low-cost platform. Cannabis can produce high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, which help defend against pests and have potential economic, pharmacological, and societal value. Mapping the genes in hemp that control the production of these compounds is a critical first step in developing genetic markers that can be used in breeding programs. Rose’s team is using an Agilent Technologies mass spectrometry platform to examine the diversity of cannabinoids and terpenes produced by hemp. They are working in collaboration with Dr. Lawrence Smart of Cornell University, whose group is performing genotypic analysis using the SureSelect system, a gene sequencing technology from Agilent Technologies. This coupled analysis will ultimately assist breeding for defense against herbivores and for compounds with pharmacological and wellness value.
Dr. Lawrence Smart, Cornell University (Matching Funders: Cornell University, The Scotts Company): Smart’s research is focusing on breeding for traits that help adapt hemp to different regions and growing environments, including outdoor and controlled environments. Top priorities include understanding the genes controlling flowering time, mildew resistance, and minor cannabinoid production in hemp. The researchers aim to develop molecular markers for the genes controlling these traits to facilitate breeding.
Dr. Ricardo Hernandez, NC State University (Matching Funder: The Scotts Company): The electricity for lighting cannabis in the U.S. is estimated at $896 million annually. Energy-efficient LED adoption could result in 34% energy savings, but there is a lack of scientifically validated information on light intensity and quality for optimal yield and phytochemical — CBD and related cannabinoids — content. Without information on how hemp will respond to LEDs, growers are reluctant to adopt energy efficient lighting or specialized lighting products. Hernandez’s research is focusing on the impact of UV, blue, green, red, and far-red light and their interaction for nursery yield, flower yield, phytochemical concentration, and profitability. This project will also reveal cannabis’ response to light intensity and provide information on how additional light affects yield and revenue.
Dr. David Suchoff, NC State University (Matching Funders: NC State University, Oregon CBD): Increased field production of grain and fiber hemp results in significant amounts of wind-dispersed pollen. Pollination of floral hemp grown for cannabinoids can result in reduced yield and unmarketable quality due to the presence of seeds, which is unacceptable in smokable flower. Consequently, farmers growing floral hemp require tools to minimize the threat of pollination. Suchoff’s research is studying sterile varieties of hemp for their potential to retain sterility over multiple growing seasons, and gathering data on these varieties’ flowering and harvest, seed production, floral biomass, and cannabinoid concentrations. The results of this research will allow better understanding of the use and growth techniques of these hemp varieties.
Dr. David Harmon, University of Kentucky (Matching Funders: International Hemp, University of Kentucky Research Foundation): Hemp grain and fiber have a favorable amino acid profile compared to other grains and excellent omega-3 fatty acid compounds, giving them potential as a feed additive for both companion pets and livestock. However, under current FDA and Center for Veterinary Medicine guidelines, hemp is prohibited for inclusion in the diets of livestock, primarily due to safety concerns of possible THC and other chemical transference to the animals or to humans through meat consumption. Harmon is identifying and organizing previous scientific studies using hemp as animal feed to find knowledge gaps that could identify future research opportunities and develop research goals that could more rapidly lead to federal approval of hemp grain and fiber as feed additives.

Hemp Research Consortium partners include Agilent Technologies, Bast Fibre Tech, BioWorks, Cornell University, FFAR, IND HEMP, International Hemp, National Hemp Growers Cooperative, NC State University, Oregon CBD, The Scotts Company, and the University of Kentucky.