The market development of HEMP

The plant belonging to the cannabis genus become notorious because it is famous as a drug. In fact, in the plant of the cannabis genus, there are hundreds of types of cannabis. The most common of them are Industrial hemp (HEMP), Medical marijuana, and Recreational cannabis. These years, many countries have approved the industry of HEMP, which brings the market development of HEMP growth. The global HEMP market value is estimated to reach billions of dollars ^[5]. This huge business opportunity has prompted many investments. The following will briefly discuss the types of HEMP and introduce an in vitro propagation method for HEMP.

What is HEMP?

Industrial hemp, also known as HEMP. This plant has a history of 10,000 years of application from ancient times to the present. The raw material of the linen used by the ancients comes from HEMP. Since the entire plant of HEMP has its applications, it is estimated that at least 50,000 uses can be estimated at present. Among them, the seeds and stems of HEMP are the most widespread.

• Stems：Textiles, clothing, fine fabrics, shoes, paper, building materials^[9]
• Seeds：Oil paint, printing ink, gasoline, solvent, paint, hemp seed oil, hemp protein powder, soap, cosmetics, balsam^[9]

The difference between Industrial hemp, Medical marijuana, and recreational marijuana

When it comes to the difference of cannabis, it is mainly distinguished by its phytocannabinoids content. A Cannabis genus plant usually contains more than a hundred phytocannabinoids, among which the most widely known are THC and CBD.

• THC(Tetrahydro cannabinol)：It is psychoactive ^[7] and it can binds to cannabinoid receptors in the human body to produce a happy feeling.
• CBD(Cannabidiol)：It is not psychoactive ^[7]and can not bind to cannabinoid receptors in the human body. It is the most medically valuable cannabinoid. Currently, known treatment diseases include anxiety (67%), insomnia (60%), arthralgia and inflammation (52%), and depression (43%)^[6]

In the existing laws and regulations, because different countries may set different standards, here is the most representative THC content to distinguish:

• Hemp: Refers to cannabis without psychoactive ingredients with a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content of less than 0.3%. A few countries stipulate that the THC content of HEMP is less than 0.2%.^[1]
• Medical marijuana: Refers to the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content within 0.3%-0.5%, low psychoactive, the highest can not exceed 0.5%, you must obtain a doctor's advice before use.^[2]
• Recreational cannabis:Usually refers to cannabis with a THC content of more than 0.5%, which is highly psychoactive and may cause abuse.

Cultivation method of HEMP

Cannabis genus is a dioecious plant, and only a few variants are produced as hermaphrodites. Among them, only female plants can grow flowers and seeds. Therefore, male plants have little commercial value in commercial applications. In the past, HEMP cultivation methods used soil cultivation by seeds or cuttings^[5], but soil cultivation requires a large area of land, it is difficult to manage and ensure quality, and also unable to control the yield of female plants. There are also problems such as heterozygosity of pollination. Therefore, botanists use the method of In vitro propagation method to solve the shortcomings of traditional methods. In addition to selecting good gene breeding, it can also effectively reduce the planting area and control the plant growth environment, thereby increasing the reproduction rate of female plants and optimizing the output of disease-free genes.

Among the in vitro propagation methods of HEMP, there are common cultivation methods such as solid medium, suspension medium, and rooting medium^[5]. In the process of cultivation, the pH value of the medium is very important. According to the report, the pH value most suitable for the growth of HEMP falls between pH 5.8 and pH 6.2.

Through experimental observation, if the pH value of the culture medium is lower than pH5.0, it will increase the utilization of micronutrients, resulting in Fe toxicity or Mn toxicity; if pH value is higher than pH7.8, the leaf may occur yellowing[8]. In the process of researching reports, we also found that MES Buffer (CAS 4432-31-9) is often used in the culture medium of HEMP.

The following are two cultivation methods:

• Solid medium method:Remove the apical or lateral buds of cannabis, use the mild detergent to sterilize its surface under aseptic conditions, cut off the necrotic tissue with a sharp tool, and then cultivate it in a medium with MES Buffer to make it root.^[3]
• Rock wool culture medium method:Cut HEMP stems (the best cutting length is 5-7 cm), place them in a rock wool medium, and add a fertilizer solution (300 mL) containing MES Buffer (5-mM) to make roots. According to research, adding MES Buffer can stabilize the pH of the medium and increase the success rate of rooting.^[4]

Further reading: Soilless culture system and the matters needing attention

Further reading: Aseptic cultivation method and biological buffer

Reference:

^[1] What's the difference between hemp and marijuana? https://weedmaps.com/learn/the-plant/hemp-vs-marijuana

^[2] Is CBD Oil Legal in 2019? State-By-State and Future Legality https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/health/is-cbd-oil-legal-14802001

^[3] COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR LARGE-SCALE IN VITRO PLANT BIOCULTURE https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2019006466

^[4] Cannabis sativa L. photoautotrophic micropropagation: a powerful tool for industrial scale in vitro propagation In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant ( IF 1.814 ) Pub Date : 2021-03-22 , DOI: 10.1007/s11627-021-10167-3 https://www.x-mol.com/paper/1374421549167624192?recommendPaper=1289640337984856064

^[5] Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Tissue Culture: Present Status and Future Potential https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7968383/

^[6] Hemp & Cannabidiol: What is a Medicine? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140266/

^[7] Medicinal cannabis https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/medicinal-cannabis

^[8] New Research Results: Optimal pH for Cannabis https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/new-research-results-optimal-ph-for-cannabis/#:~:text=The%20recommended%20substrate%20pH%20for,to%20commercial%20greenhouses%20growing%20cannabis

^[9] Uses of Hemp – Hemp made prosthetic, a new look in triathlon https://canadahempfoods.com/category/uses-of-hemp/