Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** all strains of cannabis sativa…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** all strains of cannabis sativa l., including non-intoxicating industrial hemp, became illegal after the 1937 marijuana tax act. Thus, for nearly a century, hemp and marijuana remained illegal in most states until the agriculture improvement act of 2018 removed hemp with < 0.3% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9THC) from the controlled substance list, which allowed hemp to become a legal agricultural commodity. However, due to the significant duration of the BAN, research on pest management practices is limited. Insect pests, diseases, and weeds makes growing hemp challenging. Moreover, there is limited information on pest management tactics for hemp. Here, we propose to complete the following objectives: 1) monitor CEW moth catch using different trap types, correlate with larval presence in the hemp fields and compare larval density, 2) assess the host preferences of key insect pests of hemp using different hemp varieties. In addition, feeding and oviposition site selection. 3) evaluate the efficacy of currently registered biological insecticides for the management of arthropod pests and diseases in hemp, 4) examine the effect of CEW damage and other arthropods on the level of terpenoid, CBD and D9THC content, 5) determine effects of minimum tillage and cover cropping on weed and insect pests, natural enemy efficacy, and industrial hemp yield, 6) use a multifarious extension plan to transfer knowledge to farmers and other stakeholders, 7) develop introductory course on hemp production and management. This standard integrated project will combine basic and applied research, as well as education and extension tasks. The project will yield capacity on hemp research and education, and train two graduate and three intern undergraduate students.