Keywords
Vermont, University of Vermont, hemp cold tolerance
Publication Date
2018
Recommended Citation
Darby, Heather; Malone, Rory; and Gupta, Abha, "Cannabidiol Cold Tolerance Trial" (2018). Northwest Crops & Soils Program. 319.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/nwcsp/319
Notes
Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. Hemp is a crop of historical importance in the U.S. and re-emerging worldwide as a popular crop as it is sought out as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. Hemp that is grown for fiber, grain oil, or as an intended health supplement contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). When hemp is grown to produce cannabidiol (CBD) as an intended health supplement, CBD concentrations are relatively high, with concentrations ranging between 8-15%. As demand for hemp across the country increases, industrial hemp may be a new cash crop and market for Vermont farms, as hemp can be worked into rotation with other grasses like cereal grains or grown as a specialty crop. Hemp for CBD production is grown more intensively, similar to vegetable production, and can be grown indoors or in the field. Hemp is cultivated in many diverse climates worldwide and is fairly cold tolerant, though there is a lack of agronomic research specific to the effect of cold temperature on CBD found in industrial hemp plants. In 2018, the Northwest Crops and Soils (NWCS) Program conducted a trial to determine the effects of cold temperature on total potential CBD and the ability for fabric row cover to protect the plant during cold temperatures.