Tag Archives: Hemp

Agronomic Considerations for Growing Fiber Hemp in Central Texas

Plant Information Fiber hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), an annual crop, is grown for bast and hurd fibers. Some are dual-purpose grown for grain and fiber, but the focus of this article is hemp for fiber production. Bast fibers are produced from the outside of the stalk, while hurd fibers are from the interior wood core. Most of the current fiber hemp varieties are photoperiod sensitive and flower according to day length. Fiber hemp has separate male and female plants, which are typically mixed in a seed bag. Figure… Read More →

Another Update on Industrial Hemp for Texas

Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, TX (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu October 31, 2019 On Tuesday, October 29 USDA released their interim rules which Texas and other states will now use in crafting their state-specific guidelines for hemp production. I have not read the document yet (161 pages), but it is available at https://www.farmers.gov/manage/hemp then click on “Hemp Production Webpage.” There you will find a link to read or download “Interim Final Rule” in PDF. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ag law specialist Tiffany Dowell-Lashmet,… Read More →

Hemp Disease Prognosis for Texas

Dr. Tom Isakeit, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist There is intense interest in growing hemp (Cannabis sativus) commercially in Texas. Along with considerations of applying the best agronomic approaches for growing it, there is a need to consider potential pitfalls, particularly insect pests and diseases. There is very little information on hemp diseases in Texas. The national host indices list just three fungal diseases of hemp in Texas, but this probably reflects a lack of observations. With a small hemp acreage in Texas, there will probably be a… Read More →