Hemp Production

Abstract

This chapter reviews hemp production with emphasis on research challenges and opportunities. Cannabis sativa L. is an annual, cosmopolitan plant belonging to the genus Cannabis. Among a number of varieties, the economic significance have Cannabis sativa var. sativa and Cannabis sativa var. indica, commonly referred to as industrial cannabis/hemp and medical cannabis/medical marijuana, respectively. The in-between varieties are differentiated by around one hundred organic chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. The crucial distinction between industrial and medical cannabis is the content of the principal psychoactive cannabinoid -- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in relation to non-psychoactive ingredient -- cannabidiol (CBD).