Recipient Organization
MICHIGAN STATE UNIV
(N/A)
EAST LANSING,MI 48824
Performing Department
Plant, Soil and Microbial Science
Non Technical Summary
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was at one time a major agronomic crop in the U.S. Hemp is broadly adapted, having essentially a global distribution, but historically production has been concentrated in more northern temperate regions of the globe. The plant grows best at temperatures between about 60 and 80°F, but its tolerance to quite low temperatures makes it well suited for Michigan and the Great Lakes Region. Due to the gap in U.S.-based trials and other research of nearly 80 years, a multistate activity that coordinates and pools resources is needed to address the research and education needs of prospective growers. As with other regional crop projects, a multistate approach is needed to address region-specific knowledge gaps in variety evaluation, management practices, and production costs across a wider range of soils and microclimates. Also, there are no herbicide, insecticide, or fungicides currently labeled for use in hemp crops which presents additional production risk for potential producers to manage. This objective of this proposed research project is to identifyregion specificagronomic practices including variety selection, plant population, row spacing, soil fertility, pest control, and harvest methodsfor industrial hemp production in the Great Lakes Region.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Agronomic practices -Determine effects on grain, fiber, or dual-purpose productivity as functions of * Cultivars - including suitability to growing conditions/regions. This entails evaluating and developing adapted, improved, monoecious cultivars for grain, fiber, dual purpose (grain + fiber), and essential oil production systems across the USA.
* Soil types
ÿ Suitability/adaptability to varied soil types, including disturbed and marginal soils
* Establishment practices
ÿ Conventional tillage vs. no-till establishment
ÿ Planting date ÿ¿ variety interactions
ÿ Planting rates (and depths) appropriate for fiber and seed crops
ÿ Row spacing
* Fertilization practices
ÿ Application rates
ÿ Application timing (especially relative to different production outcomes (grain, fiber, dual purpose (grain + fiber), and essential oil production systems)
* Canopy management
ÿ Utility/timing of topping during growing season to induce multiple tillering
* Water use and demand
ÿ Irrigation ÿ¿ variety interactions
ÿ Evapotranspiration and water demand
ÿ Timing availability effects
* Insect, pathogens, and other pest management.
ÿ Pest and pathogen sensitivity
ÿ Efficacy of seed fungicide and insecticide treatments
ÿ Effects of late-season fungicide applications on grain yield and quality
ÿ Economic thresholds for insect and other pest control
* Weed management
ÿ Pre/post emergence herbicides for weed control
ÿ Herbicide sensitivities
* Harvest and handling practices
ÿ Evaluate efficacy of field desiccation (e.g., using diquat or glyphosate) for grain crops
ÿ Develop best practice protocols for retting both in fiber and dual purpose hemp systems
ÿ Determine engineering needs for harvest, handling and processing
* Suitability for crop rotations
ÿ Evaluate potential for use in rotations or mixtures with other crop
ÿ Measure hemp performance and weed/insect/disease incidence following corn, cotton, soybean, tobacco, forage/pasture/range/fallow
ÿ Determine hempâ¿¿s effects on disease/pest cycles of other crops
Crop quality - Assay plant material from above for corresponding fiber, grain and cannabinoid traits * Stem and stem fiber properties characterized on the macro, micro, and micron scale
* Grain quality, including oil and protein levels and fatty acid and amino acid profiles
* Other potential uses (e.g., as a biofuel feedstock, as chemical adsorbents or as fresh/ensiled forage crops for livestock)
* NIRS equation development for rapid quality assessment
Project Methods
Several varieties of industrial hemp will be planted at Michigan State University research farms to evaluate the effects of different agronomic practices on yield and crop quality. Agronomic practices to be evaluated include: planting dates; plant populations; N fertilitizer needs; weed control; harvest practices; etc. Crop quality aspects to be evaluated include fiber, oil, and grain analyses. All projected research is subject to funding availability.Planting date: Target planting dates of early-May, mid-May, and early-June will be established. Plots will be replicated 4x. Plots will be harvested for biomass yield determination.Plant population: A (3) tiered seeding rate approach, centered on current industry standard rangeof 22-66 kg/ha seeding rate will be evaluated. A narrow-row spacing system (grain drill) will be used.N Fertilizer: (4) rates of N (0, 50, 100, 150 lb/a) will be evaluated for effect on industrial hemp crop yield and quality.Plots will be replicated 4x.In general, plants for fiber content analyses will be harvested in the fud or flowering stage. Grain harvest will occur at physiological maturity (seed moisture content 10%-18% range). Grain quality will be assessed on oil content and fatty acid composition.Research on weed control and harvest practices are long-term objectives and are subject to future funding.Participants in the project will be required to comply with all applicable laws governing hemp in the state of their home institution. It should also be noted that among states with laws authorizing hemp cultivation, some are further along than others in full implementation of pilot programs. Participants will only be able to contribute to activities authorized within their states and approved by their institutions. It should be noted that when applying for use of Hatch Multistate and other USDA funds on this project, each institution certifies to the following:Certification Regarding Industrial Hemp: When signing the application (electronic submission through Grants.gov), the Authorized Organizational Representative is providing certification that if they grow, cultivate, or market industrial hemp under the proposed project, the organization will comply with all terms and conditions set by the applicant's State agency regarding industrial hemp growth, cultivation, and marketing. For this purpose, the term "industrial hemp" includes the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part or derivative of such plant, including seeds of such plant, whether growing or not, that is used exclusively for industrial purposes (fiber and seed) with a tetrahydrocannabinols concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. The term "tetrahydrocannabinols" includes all isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers of tetrahydrocannabinols.To ensure that participants comply with the above statement, upon NIFA approval of this project additional guidance will be provided to experiment station offices reviewing requests to join this project. Guidance will include references such as the certification statement for NIFA funding and the National Conference of State Legislatures compilation of state hemp statutes. Agricultural Experiment Stations are aware of the hemp laws within their states and will be the control point for monitoring compliance. After notification of a participant joining the project in NIMSS, the Administrative Advisor will ask the participant to include a summary of their state's hemp law and pilot program in their REEport project initiation. Participants in states without authorized hemp programs will be asked to include clarification for how their proposed work complies with applicable Federal and state laws.Summary of State of Michigan Industrial Hemp Research Act, Act 547, of 2014.AN ACT to authorize the growing and cultivating of industrial hemp for research purposes; to authorizethe receipt and expenditure of funding for research related to industrial hemp; and to prescribe the powers andduties of certain state agencies and officials and colleges and universities in this state.History: 2014, Act 547, Imd. Eff. Jan. 15, 2015.The People of the State of Michigan enact:286.841 Short title.Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "industrial hemp research act".History: 2014, Act 547, Imd. Eff. Jan. 15, 2015.286.842 Definitions.Sec. 2. As used in this act:(a) "Department" means the department of agriculture and rural development.(b) "Fund" means the industrial hemp research fund created in section 4.(c) "Industrial hemp" means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the plant, whether growing or not,with a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis.History: 2014, Act 547, Imd. Eff. Jan. 15, 2015.286.843 Industrial hemp; growing, cultivating, or transporting; grants.Sec. 3. (1) The department or a college or university in this state may grow or cultivate, or both, industrialhemp for purposes of research conducted under an agricultural pilot program or other agricultural or academicresearch project.(2) The department or a college or university that transports industrial hemp as part of a research projectauthorized under this act shall include along with a shipment of industrial hemp a letter on the department's orthe college's or university's letterhead that provides notice that the shipment includes industrial hempauthorized under the industrial hemp research act.(3) A college or university in this state may receive direct grants from the federal government or any othersource for the purpose of conducting research authorized under this act.History: 2014, Act 547, Imd. Eff. Jan. 15, 2015.286.844 Industrial hemp research fund; creation; deposit of money or other assets;investment; interest and earnings; money remaining in fund at close of fiscal year;department as administrator; expenditures; purposes.Sec. 4. (1) The industrial hemp research fund is created within the state treasury.(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the fund,including federal research grants. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The statetreasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse to thegeneral fund.(4) The department shall be the administrator of the fund for auditing purposes.(5) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon appropriation, only for 1 or more of thefollowing purposes:(a) Research into growing or cultivating, or both, industrial hemp.(b) Providing grants to colleges or universities in this state to conduct research into growing or cultivating,or both, industrial hemp.