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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
IPM Partnership Grants |
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Project Title:
Necessity is the mother of invention: innovative approaches to Northeastern hemp disease management. |
Project Directors (PDs):
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Lead State: VT Lead Organization: University of Vermont and State Agricultural College |
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Cooperating State(s):
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New York |
| Undesignated Funding: $49,565 |
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Start Date: Apr-01-2020 End Date: Mar-31-2022 |
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Pests Involved: Multiple Diseases |
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Site/Commodity: Hemp |
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Area of Emphasis: Disease management and control |
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Summary:
With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, and the removal of industrial hemp from the list of controlled substances, hemp is now considered a legal agricultural crop. As a result, the hemp industry is growing rapidly and scientifically based research and education is critical to Northeastern farmers succeeding with this new crop. Hemp could be a significant economic driver and could help create new farming and business opportunities and potentially provide social and environmental benefits that complement current agricultural production systems in the Northeast. However, since industrial hemp production has only recently been reintroduced to the Northeast, much of the agronomic information that is currently available to Northeastern growers is either outdated or not relevant to the growing conditions of the region. The proposed project aims to provide this much-needed information to the Northeastern hemp industry through a program that integrates field-based disease management trials and a comprehensive outreach program.
Identifying pest problems and educating producers and service providers about hemp IPM will strengthen the viability of industrial hemp in the region. This project seeks to discover and deliver region-specific disease management practices to support the growth of the hemp industry in the Northeast. The objectives of this project are to expand the existing IPM toolbox for disease management available to Northeastern hemp growers, and enhance technical assistance through farmer friendly research-based outreach programs and materials, and opportunities for farmer-to-farmer learning exchanges in the Northeast. The distribution of hemp diseases in the Northeast, varietal selection, planting date, plant spacing, harvest timing, and post-harvest handling strategies will be validated as a means to manage disease pressure in industrial hemp. Our outreach and research will reach countless stakeholders through printed material and online resources and will add to the body of knowledge on regionally appropriate IPM strategies for industrial hemp. Objectives: The objectives of this project are to: (1) expand the existing IPM toolbox for disease management available to Northeastern hemp growers. (2) enhance technical assistance through farmer friendly research-based outreach programs and materials, and opportunities for farmer-to-farmer learning exchanges in the Northeast. |
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Final Report: |
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Outputs A variety trial with 27 varieties in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 replicates was established to determine difference in yield, cannabidiol (CBD) concentrations and pest severity. Each plot contained 5 plants.The results showed that hemp varieties being grown for flower (CBD) had a wide range of yield (805 up to 4333 lbs per acre) and CBD (7.8 to 17.0%) potential. Interestingly, incidence of disease (primarily flower/bud rots) and aphid populations varied significantly by variety. Hence it is important to evaluate variety trials such as these to select varieties with high yield potential and tolerance to pests. A trial to evaluate the impact of plant arrangement on hemp yield, CBD, and disease included plants spaced at 1'x1', 3'x3', and 5'x5' in a RCBD with 4 replicates. Each plot contained 15 plants. Although individual plants yielded higher in the 5' x5' arrangement the yield per acre was highest when plants were grown in the 1' x 1' arrangement. However, disease pressure and quantities of unmarketable flower were much higher with closer row spacing. More plants per acre also comes at a much higher production cost when the seed is $1 each and the market for the flower is declining. To reduce pest pressure and minimize input costs a wider row spacing especially in temperate climates would be advised. A hemp harvest timing study evaluated the impact of proper harvest timing on yield, quality, and disease.The experimental design was a RCBD with split plots and 4 replicates. Main plots were variety (Boax and Cherry Wine) and subplots were harvest timing (Early, Normal, and Late). Each subplot contained 5 plants.Harvesting timing is critical to obtain high quality hemp and minimize disease and chances for "hot crops". In this study there was a difference between varieties in regards to when they reached maximum CBD concentrations. All plants remained compliant at the maximum levels. However as plants were left longer in the field disease issues on the flower buds became more pronounced. Proper harvesting is critical to obtaining optimum yield and quality. A post-harvest trial determined the effect of drying temperature and humidity on CBD concentrations as well as disease severity and quality. The experimental design was a 3x2 factorial design with 4 replicates. Hemp flower from a single hemp variety grown under identical conditions was dried at ambient temperature, 80°F, or 105°F, with the presence or absence of a dehumidifier. Given the humid climate of the northeast, the fastest drying time that protects cannabinoid and terpene quality is crucial to grower success. In this study drying at 80F temperatures with a dehumidifer provided the fastest drying times with the least quality losses. Mixed model analysis will be calculated using the mixed procedure of SAS (SAS Inst., 2008). All treatment factors in this experiment will be considered fixed with the exception of replicates. Mean separation among treatments involving variety, planting date, and seeding rates will be obtained using the Least Significant Difference procedure when significant F-tests (P<0.10) are observed. A disease and arthropod survey was done on 10 hemp farms located in VT, CT, NY, and ME to represent various microclimates, disease pressures and growing conditions. We assessed incidence and severity of key pests at flower development and just before harvest. Three adjacent plants werebe scouted at five locations within each field in a W pattern to ensure all quadrants of the field are assessed. The qualitative data is presented without statistical analysis by date and location in order to chart the presence and severity of diseases throughout the Northeast. There were a variety of disease and arthropod pests observed throughout the northeast. However the most prominent were aphids, leaf spots, powdery mildew and various fungal diseases on the flower heads. Although most pests did not seem to cause economic damage in some cases the leaf spots caused defoliation and premature death of the plants. Our project team helped these farmers develop IPM plans to mitigate disease and pest pressure which were quickly adopted. |
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Outcomes Participants in outreach events were provided identify knowledge gained through the program. For knowledge gains (short term) In this study, 100% of farms participating (n=11) in the regional pest survey improved their identification, diagnostics, and management skills for managing pests in hemp. Following attending hemp outreach events, 96% of the participants gained knowledge on identification and management of pests in hemp. Following attending the hemp conference, farmers were asked about knowledge gained specific to management options. As a result of information gained at UVM hemp outreach events: 68% of farmers gained knowledge on how to properly dry and store hemp to minimize quality losses. 72% gained knowledge on cultural disease management strategies including variety selection, plant spacing, and planting date. 51% gained knowledge on where to access pesticide training and support. |
Report Appendices
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