2022 Hemp Variety Trial

This is the second consecutive year where hemp grew and successfully produced yield at the North Peace Applied Research Station. Biomass (P=0.8217) and yield (P=0.4195) were the same across all varieties. Canda and Joey varieties seemed to produce less yield but more biomass, whereas CFX-1 seemed to be more yielding than fibre producing. Macronutrients were not significant across varieties except Calcium (P=0.0454). There was more calcium content in the X59 variety compared to CRS-1 were less Ca was found. This is our last year in researching if hemp could be an alternative for crop rotation. In Alberta hemp can produce between 750 to 890 lb acre-1 of average seed yield and average fibre production from dual varieties is 2009 to 4018 lb acre-1. In terms of seed yield varieties close to this range are CFX-1 and X59 and in terms of fibre none of the varieties grown are close to the aforementioned range. Thus hemp would be a difficult plant to grow especially for fibre production in this area as varieties have struggled for three years to even get off the ground. Hope is standing for new varieties able to withstand the weather conditions here in the North Peace.