Location: Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU)
Project Number: 8060-21000-034-034-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2025
End Date: Jun 30, 2026
Objective:
1. Establish capacity and infrastructure for evaluation, characterization, and seed increase of the USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) hemp germplasm collection.
2. Develop and apply collaborative hemp phenotyping protocols for evaluation and characterization of hemp genetic resources for addition to the USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)-Global hemp database.
3. Establish educational resources to enhance and intensify hemp education and research objectives at cooperator 1890 institutions.
4. Evaluate hemp breeding lines for early and late hemp agronomic systems.
Approach:
1. ARS will work with the partnering institution to establish resources needed for hemp germplasm evaluation, characterization, and population-level seed increase by providing protocols, germplasm processing equipment, and germplasm.
2. ARS and Cooperator will develop and implement protocols for growing hemp in field, greenhouses and growth rooms. Appropriate field and greenhouse spaces at Alabama A&M University (AAMU) will be utilized for growing and securing the crop.
3. Cooperator will generate scientific samples and phenotypic evaluations for priority agronomic traits including fiber quality samples, flowering, shattering, and agronomic traits, seed fatty acid and protein, and critical secondary plant metabolites across National Plant Germplasm System hemp genetic resources including early selections and breeding lines at both individual plant and high-density plot level. Cooperator will coordinate with ARS to support population development.
4. Cooperator will coordinate with ARS to support regeneration and increase of compliant hemp genetic resources including breeding and pre-breeding populations.