Project

Contact: PD Dr. rer. nat. habil. Björn Kuhla

Duration: 2022-2024

Funding: Staatliches Amt für Landwirtschaft und Umwelt Westmecklenburg

Abstract:

The goal of the project is to reduce nitrate and nutrient concentrations in soils by growing crop hemp as a winter intercrop, while harvesting the leaf material to reduce CO2 greenhouse gas emissions from cropland. Feeding the harvested domestically grown hemp leaves will test an alternative to soybean use in a ration for dairy cows and reduce methane emissions. Finally, practical methods for optimized intercrop management will be elicited. To pursue these goals, the project partner HANFFARM grows the low THC crop hemp variety "Santhica" as a catch crop on 2 plots with different tillage depths but comparable soil properties. The partner HS‐NB documents the development and growth of the hemp plants. For this purpose, various geodata sources are sifted using Geographic Information Systems. Biomass growth and plant development will be determined using classical and non‐destructive methods. Hyperspectral measurements are performed on the plants to derive estimation formulas for important value‐giving constituents. Furthermore, HS‐NB records precipitation data on the hemp growing plots and takes soil samples in which the partner FPS determines the water, nitrate, total nitrogen and nutrient content. In harvested hemp leaves, FPS also determines residual THC levels, aflatoxin and pesticide contamination, and conducts Category C microbiological testing. To determine whether useful hemp leaves can be used as a soy substitute in the feeding of dairy cows, partner FBN is conducting a corresponding feeding trial. Crude protein digestibility, energy digestibility and methane emissions will be measured. The project partners involved will present their results to the public at specialist events, via press releases and publications.