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I. History, Uses and Cultivars of Industrial Hemp
A. Origin of industrial hemp
B. Scheduling/Criminalizing hemp in the United States
C. Uses of hemp pre 1930s
D. Emerging uses of hemp
II. Forms of Industrial Hemp
A. Flower/Cannabidiol (CBD) hemp
B. Grain/Seed crop
C. Dual crop
D. Tri-crop
E. Fiber
F. Full-term versus autoflower
III. Factors that Affect Hemp Cultivar Selection
A. Use
B. Structure
C. Yield
D. Terpene profile
E. Cannabidiol (CBD)
F. Fibe quality
G. Pest and disease resistance
H. Location and climate
IV. Cultivation and Propagation
A. Indoor versus outdoor cultivation
B. Factors associated with outdoor cultivation
1. Land preparation and field layout
2. Planting in beds versus flats
3. Irrigation
4. Nutrient management
5. Pest and disease management
6. Scale of production and quality of yield
C. Factors associated with indoor cultivation
1. Environmental controls (light, temperature, humidity, moisture)
2. Container versus in ground planting
3. Cost of production
4. Pest and disease management
5. Scale of production and quality of yield
D. Propagation from seeds
1. Advantages and disadvantages of starting from seeds
2. Media selection for germinating seeds
3. Improving germination rates and breaking dormancy
4. Managing seedlings (auto flower and full term)
E. Propagation from clones
1. Advantages and disadvantages of starting from clones
2. Sourcing clones versus making clones
3. Developing mother plants
4. Factors to consider and basic cloning techniques
F. Micropropagation
1. What is tissue culture?
2. Significance of micropropagation in hemp cultivation
3. Techniques and protocols for micropropagation
4. Materials needed for micropropagation
V. Agronomic Practices
A. Transplanting and crop management
1. Preparing plants for transplanting
2. Timing and spacing (autoflower and full-term plants)
3. Up potting versus field transplanting
4. Mechanized versus manual transplanting
5. Timing and significance of topping/pruning de-leafing
6. Scouting and culling male plants
7. Canopy management
8. Scouting for pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies
B. Irrigation
1. Outdoor versus indoor irrigation
2. Materials and considerations for different irrigation designs
3. Advantages and disadvantages of different irrigation setup
C. Soil and nutrient management
1. Soil/media selection for different forms of hemp
2. Nutrient requirements for different forms of hemp
3. Key micronutrients in hemp cultivation
4. Key macronutrients in hemp cultivation
5. Nutrient deficiencies and management
6. Water-use efficiency
D. Fertigation
1. Considerations for fertigation
2. Design and timing of fertigation
3. Material and cost of fertigation
4. Liquid fertilizers
5. Compost teas
VI. Crop Improvement and Cultivar Development
A. Breeding and selection
1. Ancestry and parentage of hemp cultivars
2. Selecting breeding stock
3. Basic breeding techniques
4. Breeding and stabilizing varieties
B. Crop steering
1. Definition
2. Varying light spectrum and crop steering in indoor environments
3. Light Deprivation (Light Dep) cultivation
4. Carbon dioxide CO2 enrichment
5. Varying temperature, moisture, humidity in relation to plant metabolism
6. Timing and application of different nutrients to boost yield and quality
C. Lighting and Indoor hemp cultivation
1. Significance of supplemental lighting
2. Effects of different wavelengths of light on the stages of plant growth
3. Different type of indoor lights (High Pressure Sodium (HPS), LEDs etc)
4. Measuring the intensity and quality of supplemental lights
5. Light Deprivation (Light Dep)
VII. Harvesting and Compliance Testing
A. Harvesting and Curing
1. Pre-harvest planning
2. Harvesting methods for different forms of hemp (flower/dual/Tri crops/fiber)
3. Drying methods (field, container, or buildings)
4. Design of drying facilities
5. Optimum conditions for drying and curing
6. Basic supplies for drying and curing
B. Compliance Testing
1. Definition
2. Required test
3. Federal and local guidelines for testing industrial hemp
4. Sample collection for compliance testing
5. Approved laboratories
VIII. Pest and Disease Management
A. Most common pests (such as spider mites, russet mites, aphids, white flies, hemp borers thrips, caterpillars, leaf beetles, earwigs) and appropriate management strategies
B. Most prevalent diseases (such as grey mould, hemp canker, yellow leaf spot, downy mildew, fusarium root rot/fusarium wilt, powdery mildew, brown blight) and appropriate management strategies
IX. Economic Aspects and Emerging Trends
A. Yield projections for cultivators, processors and manufacturers
B. Secondary markets associated with the hemp industry
C. Hemp market information/research
D. Emerging uses and markets