Summary
Hemp cultivation is not new to the southern regions, but cultivated area is decreasing. Recently, there has been a rediscovery of this crop, as a result of requests from the producers of natural fibres.
The paper synthesizes the studies recently set up in southern Italy, with the goal of evaluating the adaptation and the yield of recent genotypes and of new agronomic techniques. The study demonstrates that, with the exception of the monoicious cultivars, the new genotypes of hemp are adapted to the environmental conditions of the Mediterranean Europe, reaching productive standards not lower than those obtained in other environments.
The use of irrigation is indispensable for overcoming the prolonged water deficit which hemp is subject to during its cultivation cycle. A good irrigation practice consists in the partial satisfaction of the water requirements. The experimental evidence indicates that the best productive results are obtained with the reintegration of 66% of the water lost through evapotranspiration.
A further saving in water is obtained with the anticipation of the sowing period, with, however, a loss in productive potential.
Hemp can be considered, in all respects, a species to reintroduce in the current cultivation systems of southern Europe. It will be possible to increase its potential provided that breeding supplied new varieties, more tolerant to low temperatures (in order to anticipate the sowing time), and able to obtain economically profitable yields with the use of limited irrigation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amaducci, S., 2003. HEMP-SYS: Design, development and up-scaling of a sustainable production system for hemp textile – An integrated quality system approach. J Ind Hemp 8(2): 79–83.
Basso, F. & C. Ruggiero, 1976. Effetti dell’irrigazione e della concimazione fluida azotata sulla produzione di cultivar di canapa per utilizzazione cartaria–Nota II. Industria della carta 4: 13–22.
Dean, T.J., J.P. Bell & J.B. Baty, 1987. Soil moisture measurement by improved capacitance technique, Part I. Sensor design and performance. J Hydrol 93: 67–78.
Di Bari, V., R. Colucci & M. Mastrorilli, 2001a. Canapa da fibra (Cannabis sativa L.) in un ambiente dell’Italia meridionale. Industria della carta 39(4): 105–109.
Di Bari, V., R. Colucci & M. Mastrorilli, 2001b. Canapa da fibra (Cannabis sativa L.) in un ambiente dell’Italia meridionale: irrigazioni e rese. Industria della carta 4: 105–109.
Di Candilo, M., P. Ranalli, V. Di Bari, D. Laureti, M. Poli, G. Grassi & P. Zonda, 2001. Valutazione di cultivar di canapa (Cannabis sativa L.) in vari ambienti italiani. Industria della carta 2: 67– 73.
Di Candilo, M., D. Liberalato, A. Del Gatto, D. Laureti, V. Di Bari, R. Colucci, P. Tedeschi, L. Postiglione, M. Poli, M. Diozzi, G. Grassi & P. Ranalli, 2002. Comportamento morfo-produttivo e qualitativo di cultivar di canapa (Cannabis sativa L.) in varie località italiane. Agroindustria 1(1): 19–27.
Mastrorilli, M., N. Katerji & G. Rana, 1995. Water efficiency and stress on grain sorghum at different reproductive stages. Agric Water Manage 28: 23–34.
Mastrorilli, M., N. Katerji & G. Rana, 1997. Productivity of sweet sorghum under Mediterranean climate. In: Proc of the 1st International Sweet Sorghum Conference, Li Dajue Publishers, Institute of Botany - Beijing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, pp. 155–162.
Mastrorilli, M., N. Katerji & G. Rana, 1999. Productivity and water use efficiency of sweet sorghum as affected by soil water use deficit occurring at different vegetative growth stages. Eur J Agron 11(3–4): 206–216.
Ranalli, P. & B. Casarini, 1998. La canapa: il ritorno di una coltura prestigiosa. Avenue Media Publishers, Bologna.
Rivoira, G. & G.F. Marras, 1976. Consumi idrici ed esigenze in azoto della canapa da cellulosa. Studi sassaresi 28: 310–326.
Van der Werf H.M.G., H.J. Haasken & M. Wijlhuizen, 1994. The effect of daylength on yield and quality of fibre hemp (Cannabis sativa, L). Eur J Agron 3: 117–123.
Van der Werf H.M.G., W.C.A. van Geel, L.J.C. van Gils & A.J. Haverkort, 1995. Nitrogen fertilization and row width affect self-thinning and productivity of fibre hemp (Cannabis sativa, L). Field Crop Res 42: 27–37.
Venturi, G.P. & M.T. Amaducci, 1999. La canapa rientrerà tra le colture del 2000? L’Informatore Agrario 41(1): 61–65.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Di Bari, V., Campi, P., Colucci, R. et al. Potential productivity of fibre hemp in southern Europe. Euphytica 140, 25–32 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-004-4751-1
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-004-4751-1