Hemp is an indispensable crop, used for producing fibre, food, oil and medicine – as well as advanced industrial materials -. Thanks to its beneficial ecological, agronomical and pharmaceutical properties, hemp serves as an invaluable raw material in both conventional products (fibres for clothing) and innovative ones (bioenergy textiles clothing healthcare etc) [1].
Hemp was once an important maritime fiber used in ropes and sails. Unfortunately, its cultivation declined after the decline of sailing navy use combined with competition from natural fibers such as cotton and jute as well as intensive development of synthetic fibres.
Hemp has quickly gained in popularity over time due to its numerous health advantages. Hemp seeds contain high concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids known to lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels; furthermore they contain an abundance of arginine which the body converts into nitric oxide and improves blood flow.
Hemp seed oil is rich in vitamin E, an anti-oxidant which can protect cells and tissues against free radical damage caused by free radicals. Hemp seed oil is often recommended to soothe itchy, dry skin conditions as well as alleviate eczema symptoms; several studies have also demonstrated it may also be useful in treating functional constipation; though more research needs to be completed before this claim can be confirmed.
Hemp is highly versatile in terms of growing conditions. It can be grown as either a single fibre crop or hybrid grain and fibre crop, increasing both its versatility and profitability. Hemp also isn’t as affected by climate fluctuations than some other fibre crops like flax, which require cool climates with high rainfall to be productive; thanks to its high water-use efficiency (WUE), hemp can even thrive in arid regions where other crops might fail (Blandinieres and Amaducci, 2008).
Hemp plants, like most other plant life, can be subject to extreme weather events like drought or frost. While its deep root system (which may reach depths up to two meters) helps it survive dry environments, it does not tolerate salinity or overly saturated soils well.
Hemp crops can also be subject to hail damage, which is often devastating. When hail strikes a plant, its leaves and stalks become damaged causing harvesting to be significantly delayed; since most hemp is harvested mechanically with cutter-binders this could impact harvesting as weed seeds or fragments could end up in the grain, potentially contaminating its oil content and making harvesting even harder than usual. As this could pose health hazards it’s vital that farmers use licensed cleaning facilities when cleaning up after themselves after hail damage occurs.
