Perspectives of hemp

Abstract

In this paper the perspectives oh hemp (Cannabis sativa L) production processing and utilization are described. Back to history, hemp used to be a major crop in Yugoslavia with a continuous decrease of production until the present volume of a few hundred hectares annually. In order to enhance this production successful breeding work resulted the newly developed dioecious cultivar 'Marina' (Fig. 1), hybrid cultivar 'Diana' and the monoecious cultivar 'Helena' all approved in 2002. The future of fiber hemp utilization depends on traditional as well as new products including special hemp based paper. The utilization of hemp seed (Fig. 2) not only as certified seed but also for special purposes like oil production has a clear perspective. Hemp as a drug and medicine (Fig. 3 and 4) is a sensitive issue which is often explained incorrectly slowing down the more intensive expansion of hemp production. The agronomic significance of hemp production should be not underestimated, since it is a crop with all favorable properties including its role as a natural herbicide (Fig. 5). Fiber as well as seed hemp production technology improvement are mainly oriented to mechanize the harvest. Special attention is paid to seed hemp mechanization (Fig. 6).

Dat je pregled proizvodnje, prerade i upotrebe konoplje. Ranije je u Jugoslaviji konoplja zauzimala značajne površine, a danas samo nekoliko stotina hektara. Prikazane su i novooplemenjene domaće sorte i hibridi Marina (dvodoma), Diana (hibridna) i Helena (jednodoma). Konoplja je značajna kao sirovina za vlakno, za proizvodnju kvalitetnog papira, za proizvodnju masnog ulja iz semena, a ima ulogu i kao "prirodni herbicid" tj. kao odličan predusev. U poslednje vreme rešavani su problemi mehanizovane žetve kako konoplje za vlakno tako i za zrno.