Field Success Rates for Hemp Seedlings and Clones
By Hemplet Farms
Hemplet Farms is a high-tech propagation company and is constantly conducting research to perfect our propagation capabilities to produce quality starter plants for farmers to stock their fields. Hemplet Farms conducted an internal study to measure the field success rate of seedlings and clones propagated at our indoor vertical farm in Northwest Indiana. A total of 54 hemp starter plants (seedlings and clones) were provided to 6 farmers in Illinois and Indiana. Seedlings and clones were bed in 72 cell, 1020 trays, using a coco coir substrate and grown for 28 days in our climate controlled grow room, using LED lights.
Of the 54 samples, 12 were placed in cold storage for 30 additional days using our proprietary method. The cold storage method suspends plant growth and allows for the extension of a starter plants shelf life to provide flexibility in field delivery. Many times, weather or unforeseen circumstances makes the delivery of young plantlets on an exact date a challenge. Being able to store the plantlets for up to 4 weeks provides flexibility in production, delivery and field planting schedules.
All 12 (100%) of the cold storage clones survived the hardening and transplant phase and grew to maturity. Of the 42 remaining seedlings and clones 41 (97%) survived the hardening and transplant phase and grew to maturity.
This was a small sample group and Hemplet Farms plans to repeat the study using a larger population of farmers in 2021. We thank Kia Adams Mikesh of Adams Independent Testing for providing analytical testing services and assisting Hemplet Farms with timely and high-quality cannabinoid testing for these trials. A special thanks goes to Petrus Langenhoven, Ph.D., Purdue University and the Midwest Hemp Council for their input and guidance.
For more: Robert Colangelo, Hemplet Farms, LLC(219) 841-9045 | hempletfarms.com | Robertc@hempletfarms.com
