Achievements in the improvement of industrial hemp production in the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad

Abstract

Program of improving of industrial hemp production at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad started in the middle of the 20th century. During seven decades, several generations of researchers have dedicated their work to develop an assortment that will meet producers’ needs in terms of improvement of yield and quality of hemp raw material. Starting from the available germplasm and the requirements of the fiber hemp producers, in the first cycle, an increase in the stalk fiber content by approximately 30% was achieved. Following the development of the market for hemp products in the second cycle, the fiber content was increased by another 10% and a monoecious high-yielding variety with a grain oil content of over 30% was selected. The latest global trends related to healthy food and natural raw materials have initiated the next breeding cycle based on the wide genetic variability of collected and newly developed germplasm. Modern breeding, in addition to yield, is focused to the quality of raw materials i.e. stalk, grain and flower, obtained by widespread production of hemp.

Program unapređenja proizvodnje industrijske konoplje u Institutu za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo u Novom Sadu započet je sredinom dvadesetog veka. Tokom sedam decenija generacije istraživača posvetile su se razvoju sortimenta koji bi zadovoljio potrebe proizvođača u smislu poboljšanja prinosa i kvaliteta konopljinih sirovina. Polazeći od dostupne germplazme i zahteva proizvodača konoplje za vlakno, u prvom je ciklusu postignuto povećanje sadržžaja vlakana u stabljici za oko 30%. U drugom ciklusu, nakon razvoja tržišta proizvoda od konoplje, sadržaj vlakana povećan je za dodatnih 10% i selekcionisana je visokoprinosna jednodoma konoplja sa sadržajem ulja u zrnu od preko 30%. Najnoviji globalni trendovi tržišta proizvoda zdrave hrane i prirodnih sirovina pokrenuli su naredni ciklus oplemenjivanja utemeljen na širokoj genetskoj varijabilnosti postojeće i novoproširene germplazme u Institutu. Savremeno oplemenjivanje osim ka povećanju prinosa usmereno je i ka poboljšanju kvaliteta konopljinih sirovina stabljike, zrna, lista i cveta.