Varieties

Growers must use pedigreed seed of a variety approved by Health Canada. An annual list of Cultivars of approved varieties is made each year and is available on the Health Canada Website . Many of the approved varieties are not available or have a very limited seed source at this time.

A list of varieties available along with growers and distributors of certified seed can be found in the annual Seed Manitoba Guide, or at your local GO Team Office or Centre

Table 5 summarizes the most common varieties grown in Manitoba in 2004 as reported in the Manitoba Crop Insurance seeded acreage reports. Smaller acres are not reported due to confidentiality.
 

Table 5: Manitoba 2004 Variety Acre & Yield breakdown

Variety	Acres	Yield per acre (Metric Units)
USO 14	23,338	0.265 tonnes
FINOLA	2,857	0.313 tonnes
USO 31	2,508	0.198 tonnes
Alyssa	535	0.272 tonnes
Crag	487	0.226 tonnes
Source: MASC (as reported on producers harvest reports)

Common Hemp Varieties in Manitoba

Hemp varieties being grown in Manitoba have been, until 2004, introduced from Europe; USO 14 and 31 and Zolo 11 are Ukrainian varieties. 

Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers Coop Ltd. (PIHG) with the assistance of Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI), Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (MRAC), and Agri-Food Research and Development Initiative (ARDI) started an industrial hemp plant breeding program in 2002. The first registered variety is Alyssa with several other promising lines under development.

Alyssa is a new Manitoba variety licensed in February 2004. Alyssa is a slightly taller variety suitable for dual purpose, grain and fibre production for Manitoba growing conditions. The variety is registered as a female predominant variety with THC content below 0.15%. Plant height described as medium at 150 to 180 cm tall with medium branching. Stem and leaf color is green with a medium stem internode.  Leaf color intensity is medium with a medium leaf size.

Acceptable levels of variants include 85% female, and 15% male plants. Most female plants are monoecious types as 50% of female plants will produce large seeds. Off types include late flowering male plants or very tall plants (over 50% of the average height of the crop). Some red stems or leaves may occur.

Breeder seed was released to growers for the 2004 season. Some certified seed is available in 2005.

Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers (#3, 126 Main St. N, Dauphin, Manitoba, R7N 1C2, Email: phig, is the distributor.

Finola is a shorter variety (4 to 5 feet) introduced from Finland. Hemp Oil Canada is the main distributor/contractor of this variety. Finola is an early variety and does well in Manitoba conditions.

USO 14 is an early-maturing monoecious variety from Ukraine. Its vegetative period is 107 to 115 days to seed maturity. USO 14 stalk yield is a possible maximum of 3.6 to 4 tons per acre and a fibre content of 27 to 28% with a potential seed yield of 1000 pounds per acre. The THC content is registered at 0.16%. but all testing in Canada has been at >0.05%. USO 14 is popular as it was one of the first varieties introduced to Manitoba.

USO 31 originates from Ukraine and is very similar in growth and production as USO 14 but is approximately 5 to 6 days later maturing.

Crag originates from Ukraine and is a dioeceous variety developed at the University of Saskatchewan.