Thrilled to announce a ground-breaking collaboration between Dalhousie University, led by Prof. Lord Abbey, Dr. Peter Amoako Ofori and Fibre Source Inc., aimed at enhancing the adaptability of industrial hemp to climate change. Collaborative efforts between academia and industry are essential for translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions that support the resilience and adaptability of agricultural crops like industrial hemp.

Our research focuses on evaluating selected hemp varieties under critical abiotic stress conditions like drought, heat, and salinity. By understanding how different varieties respond, we're paving the way for resilient cultivars and extending cultivation seasons into new geographical locations.

Stay tuned for updates on how this research is shaping the future of sustainable agriculture and tackling climate change head-on!

Fiber Source funded research on enhancing the growth of hemp in two controlled studies involving greenhouse and farm field trials. Our research team has developed a biostimulant with a high concentration of Free Amino acids and Functional Peptides (FAPS) from non-GMO soy, that was applied to 8 varietals in differing concentrations. The results were exceptional with increased rates of germination and growth. The emergence of different hemp seeds was observed between 2.5 – 3 days instead of the average 6-7 days. Hemp plants grew quicker forming a canopy which helped mitigate weed pressure. The use of fertilizers was reduced by 50% in these studies resulting in overall biomass similar to or better than conventional hemp cultivation (note the lushness of the hemp plants in the field compared to hemp plants without biostimulant applications).

The researchers also conducted several trials on indoor vegetable crops. The biostimulant consistently improves plant growth and supports important phases of plant growth, development, flowering, and fruit enlargement while reducing the use of fertilizers.

Current farming practices require a significant amount of fertilizer and pesticide applications to sustain yields. The economic, environmental, and social costs are not sustainable. Our goal is to improve plant and food production in environmentally beneficial ways while lowering the costs of farming!

Stay tuned as Fiber Source and partners bring you more exciting research updates with widespread applications for the agricultural and horticultural industries.

Images taken same day: Conventional “control” hemp production (left-hand side) is less than half the growth of hemp plants with biostimulant applications (right-hand side), below - lushness of hemp test plots with applied biostimulant.