Dear Sir or Madam,
my name is Isabel Kotte and I study at the University of Applied Sciences HTW Dresden Horticulture. My bachelor thesis I would like to write about commercial/ cultural hemp. Besides the studies I am interested in different seed treatment technologies for example electron seed treatment and hot water treatment. For my Bachelor thesis I would like to transfer this on hemp seed.
I am looking for a contact person regarding the need for seed treatment against seed-borne and seed-transmitted pathogens in hemp.
At the moment there are no licensed mordants in Germany, which can be used in the cultivation of hemp.
What do you mean, exists the need of a seed treatment against pathogens of cannabis seeds?
In my research I found out, that over 400 pathogens can infest hemp depending on the climate and growing region.
In Germany there is probably the way forward in the contamination of hemp seed with the following microorganisms:
– Damping-off (Pythium dabaryanum)
– Hemp canker (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)
– Anthracnose (Colletotrichum coccodes)
– Fusarium wilt (Fusarium sp.)
– Gray mould (Botrytis cinerea)
– Hemp rust (Melampsora cannabina)
– Bacterial blight (Pseudomomas syringae pv. cannabina)
– Xanthomonas leaf spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. cannabis)
Have you had problems with the pests listed above in the past or other pathogens? Or do you ever typical clinical picture of each pathogen noticed in stock? If so, did you performed microbiological tests? Do you have infested seed stock?
Do you perform a hot water treatment before sowing their seeds to eliminate any adhering pathogens? Is your unpickled organic hemp seed free of pathogens?
Basically I am missing data about the current situation in Germany and Europe, where plant protection problems exists in hemp cultivation.
Furthermore, I would also have the option of dressing the seed with nitrogen-fixing beneficial bacteria/ fungi, which could be interesting.
At a feedback on your part, I am very interested.
Best regards.
Isabel Kotte
EVONTA-Service GmbH
Bautzner Landstraße 45
01454 Radeberg, Germany
Phone:   +49 351 2695-252
Fax:        +49 351 2695-251
E-Mail:   isabel.kotte@evonta.de
Web:      www.evonta.de