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Advances in hemp breeding

Code: 9781835454497
Publication date: 05-06-2026
Extent: 22 pages

Contributions by: Stephen Baluch, Oregon State University, USA

Chapter synopsis:

Renewed interest in growing hemp has led to the need for new, robust varieties that are profitable for farmers to grow. As the demand for locally adapted varieties increases, innovative breeding solutions must be employed to meet this demand. Depending on the class of hemp being bred some methods are more efficient than others. Up until recently, the only varieties available are from countries that have had a legalized hemp industry for longer than the United States. As this slowly changes, undoubtedly new challenges will emerge for which breeders must meet the demand with new robust varieties that are value-added and profitable for farmers to grow. Attributes such as yield, not only cannabinoid yield but grain and biomass must be the center of attention for breeders to tackle for farmers to opt for growing hemp versus any other crop.



DOI: 10.19103/AS.2025.0161.04

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Table of contents
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Common terms used in this chapter
  • 3 Setting the scene: issues in defining cannabis and hemp
  • 4 Use of marijuana lines to develop new hemp varieties
  • 5 Breeding methods for hemp: clones and mass selection
  • 6 Breeding methods for hemp: single-seed descent and pedigree breeding
  • 7 Breeding methods for hemp: hybrid breeding, fast plants, and synthetics
  • 8 Seed and grain production
  • 9 Breeding for resistance to biotic and abiotic stress
  • 10 Conclusion
  • 11 References

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