Influence of Crop Density and Pinching on Hemp Plant Architecture and Yield

Abstract

One-year experiments conducted with one hemp variety were established to determinate the cultivation practices (growth density and pinching) which could be used to optimize the technological process of hemp varieties production for different purposes. The results showed that reduced crop density and pinching result in development of shorter plants. In denser non-pinched crops, the stem is over 180 cm high, while the plants start branching in the upper 1/4-1/5 part. In the non-pinched treatment with a larger area available for individual plants, as well as in the pinched treatments, more productive branches of less thickness develop in the lower parts. The non-pinched treatments generally produce higher stem and fiber yields, which increase when crop density is reduced. The obtained results can serve as a basis for determining certain treatments during the evaluation of production technology for different varieties of hemp intended for specific purposes.