PROJECT RESULTS

Research, Evaluate, Introduce and Multiply Low THC Industrial Hemp Varieties From Ukraine for Development of a Canadian Industrial Hemp Seed Industry

Applicant: 

Table of Contents:

• Background and Objective
• Procedure and Project Activities
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusions

ARDI Project:

#00-361

Project Status:

Completed March, 2002

Background and Objective:

The objective of this project is to investigate and evaluate industrial hemp varieties for the supply of quality, low cost Canadian industrial hemp varieties for the industry as it develops.

Commercial industrial hemp cultivation became legal in Canada in 1998 under regulations administered by Health Canada.

World markets are striving towards a zero tolerance of THC in industrial hemp products.

The PIHG (Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers) Co-op has a potential to be the Canadian world grower and distributor of the varieties from an alliance formed with the Ukraine (Bast Institute) and their breeding program and/or by working towards developing Canadian varieties.

Members of the Parkland Co-op are developing access to superior seed for development of the new and growing industrial hemp markets in Canada. Industrial hemp is a crop diversification opportunity that can lead to a pedigreed seed production system. PIHG Co-op has a business plan for the construction of an industrial hemp fibre processing plant. Financing is being sought for construction to start in the summer of 2002. Manitoba can initially support approximately 20,000 acres of commercial industrial hemp production to support this plant. In 2001, 1,100 acres of commercial hemp were grown in Manitoba to supply existing grain processing facilities in Manitoba (Fresh Hemp Foods and Hemp Oil Canada). PIHG Co-op has also formed an alliance with Biofibre in Wales, U.K. for supplying seed for their facility (approximately 5,000 acres per year).

Seed supply requirements for the industry at present is approximately 522,000 pounds, which represents certified seed production from 1,100 acres. Farm gate value at $2.50 per lb. would be $1.3 million.

Present seed supplies from previous activities from imported seed are available for existing needs and for startup of the new processing facility.

New sources of varieties adapted to Manitoba are required for long term survival of the new and growing industrial hemp industry. Seed and plant types are required specific to the end use (e.g. fibre, crushing, dehulling, etc.)

Procedure and Project Activities:

PIHG Co-op contacted the Bast Institute, Summy Region, Ukraine to develop an alliance for the pedigreed production of Bast Institute varieties.

Pavlo Goloborod'ko, Director of the Institute, visited with the group in 2000. Breeder seed was forwarded for multiplication and evaluation. Negotiations for maintaining and distributing the varieties has been ongoing.

Peter Dragla, MSc, PAg, Chatham, Ontario, Industrial Hemp Breeder, was contracted to carry out the breeding program on three varieties; USO 14, USO 31 and Zolotonoshskaya 11 (Zolo 11) in 2000 and 2001. Breeder seed was maintained in small plots under CSGA (Canadian seed Growers Association) guidelines.

Three growers in the Dauphin area multiplied breeder seed from 2000 under CSGA guidelines in 2001.

Variety comparison trials were also conducted in Dauphin in cooperation with PCDF (Parkland Crop Diversification Foundation) headquartered in Roblin as well with Manitoba Agriculture and Food.

New varieties, Anka and Carmen (developed and licensed by Peter Dragla) were also evaluated in Manitoba for performance.

Varieties were evaluated for grain and fibre yields (Table 1 and Table 2).

Results and Discussion:

Growing Season

The 2000 growing season in Chatham and Dauphin were average for the area. The 2001 growing season in Chatham was hot and dry. The Dauphin location had excess moisture, which delayed seeding for a week. Later in the season, the weather was hot and dry.

All varieties were tested at flowering stage for THC levels (delta-9tetrahydracannabinol). Samples were screened by Peter Dragla for THC and also tested by Meatherall Consulting (accredited forensic and clinical toxicology laboratory) in Winnipeg.

All varieties tested <0.05% THC content as a percent of dried weight. This is the minimum level of testing available and is well below the Health Canada acceptable limit of 0.3% THC.

Roguing

The USO14 variety, breeder seed plot had the most off types that were not consistent with the variety. Approximately 40% of the plants were removed in the first year to maintain variety purity. In year two, the breeder plots were true to variety (5% of plants removed). Breeder plots in 2001 for multiplication required minimal roguing to maintain purity.

The Variety USO 31 was more true to type requiring about 30% of the plants to be removed the first year. In year two, the breeder plots were true to variety similar to the USO 14.

Zolo 11 was the most uniform and consistent requiring removal of 25% off types in year one and less than 5% in year two.

In 2001, breeder seed from 2000 was multiplied in four breeder plots in the Dauphin area. Plot size was 2.5 acres. Varieties were true to type requiring limited roguing to remove males. Production was good averaging 800 lbs. per acre clean grain CSGA inspections and standards were met for foundation status. Foundation seed available for 2002 planting is 2000 pounds. This will plant 130 acres to produce registered status. The varieties will be further multiplied to supply certified grain for plantings in 2003. This will give sufficient seed availability for the initial two years after the fibre plant is established and in production. This will allow for further plant breeding arrangements and efforts to be solidified.

Anka and Carmen varieties were also evaluated. THC levels are low (<0.05% for Anka and 0.08% for Carman). Anka did well in the Manitoba conditions (Table 1) and out yielded the Ukrainian varieties in grain and fibre yields.

Carmen is a later maturing variety and did not produce seed in Manitoba. Fibre yield was high (Table 2). This variety would be suitable as a fibre only variety. Seed production and supply would be a problem in the future, as the industry would have to rely on a long season growing area for seed supply.

This indicates Canadian seed development is required to get varieties adapted to Western Canada growing conditions.

2001 Performance

Table 1 summarizes the grain yields for the Dauphin location. Yields of all varieties were reasonable considering the year was hot and dry with less than normal moisture. No disease or pests were identified as a problem. Plant population was sufficient to out compete weeds.

Table 1.  Dauphin Hemp Grain Yields 

Table 2 summarizes the fibre yields for the Dauphin location. Fibre yield was determined by harvesting one row from each of the varieties in the four reps. Table 2 represents the average of the four reps. The samples were weighed wet as harvested and again after air drying. The percentage of leaf and fines (Table 1) was removed to give an air dried long fibre and hurd yield. This would represent the maximum fibre that could be baled from a field. Equipment losses would reduce this potential. No field or equipment loss estimates are available at present. At the 100 plants per square metre seeding rate, fibre yields varied from variety to variety up to a high of 3.67 tonnes/acre with Anka (Table 2). The average yield of the seven varieties seeded at the 100 plants per square metre seeding rate is 2.66 tonnes per acre. The varieties Anka and USO 14 seeded at the 300 plants per square metre yielded an average of 4.48 tonnes per acre of fibre (stalks). This represents a 59.2% increase in material that could be harvested by an increased seeding rate. This seeding rate would have an impact on the yield if the crop is being seeded just for fibre harvest.

Table 2.  Dauphin Hemp Fibre Yields (Tonnes per Acre) 

¹ Total plant weight – air dried

² Yield of fibre with leaves and fine stem removed

³ View with caution – above normal plant mortality

Lodging evaluation was done on all varieties at seed maturation. Project varieties were evaluated as well as some other common and new varieties under development.

Lodging criteria used was counting and calculating the plants that had more that a 45^° degree growing angle. At this angle, it was deemed to be lodged and could not be harvested by equipment.

Field verification is required to further refine the findings.

Table 3.  2001 Field Trials - % Lodging at Seed Maturation* 

* Location: Chatham, 2001

Alliances Formed

Negotiations have been ongoing with the Bast Institute to develop an alliance for the licensing and growing of the Institute varieties in Canada. At present, the Bast Institute is also negotiating with Nutris Inc., a Saskatchewan based distributing company and is leaning towards their having exclusive rights. Negotiations have been slow, but are ongoing to try to come to an agreement to develop the pedigreed seed production of the Ukrainian varieties

PIHG Co-op is developing an alliance with Peter Dragla and the University of Guelph for the development of new varieties that would be more adapted to Western Canada for the dual purpose grain-fibre production and fibre only varieties. Germplasm is available for variety selection. This alliance will be pursued further.

PIHG Co-op is pursuing an alliance with Keenex for the multiplication and certification of the variety Anka. This will allow time to develop varieties more suitable to western climatic conditions.

PIHG Co-op has developed an alliance with Biofibre in Wales, U.K. for the supplying of certified seed for production of hemp fibre for the Wales plant. U.K., because of climate, is unable to produce economic grain yields. Seed supplies for U.K. need to be imported. With the plant construction-marketing alliance with the Wales plant, PIHG Co-op and growers have an alliance to supply certified seed to meet the requirements of the Wales plant (up to 5,000 acres, ~125,000 pounds per year, ~$312,000 farm gate value).

Conclusions:

Successful establishment of industrial hemp as a new crop in Manitoba depends on the development of markets and processing capacity. Development of sound agronomic varieties suitable for Manitoba growing conditions will make the industry sustainable. These varieties must be made available at a reasonable price so the industry can be sustainable.

The Ukrainian varieties performed well under Chatham, Ontario and Manitoba growing conditions. They are suitable varieties for the industry to be established on and begin to grow. New varieties (e.g. Anka) illustrate that a Canadian breeding program is required to develop new varieties for Canadian climatic and growing conditions.

THC levels in industrial hemp varieties can be kept low, and well below Canadian standards.

Different processing and markets will require varieties with different attributes. For example, fibre, oil and dehulling markets require different attributes in varieties which include yield, seed size, oil content and quality.

A Canadian breeding program needs to be continued to develop varieties suitable for Western Canada environment and growing conditions.

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