The study, conducted by scientists from the agriculture departments at the University of Thessaly and Aristotle University, not only affirmed hemp’s capacity to thrive in soils with varying copper concentrations but also unveiled an unexpected benefit – an increase in CBD levels in the plant’s flowers.
In their recent publication in Waste and Biomass Valorization, a scientific journal under Berlin-based Springer Nature, the researchers shared their findings. They reported, “Hemp was revealed to be a tolerant plant, growing successfully in soils with varied particle size distributions supplemented with two levels of Cu (copper) concentrations. Cu proved to have a favorable effect on the plants at both contamination levels, as evidenced by the plants’ growth characteristics, above-ground weight, height, and photosynthetic capability.”
The research suggested a correlation between metal concentration in cannabis-growing soil and the production of CBD. The authors noted, “Therefore, hemp cultivation is promising for Mediterranean soils, as it produces high amounts of CBD in response to metal pollution stress and remediates polluted soils.”
The study’s intriguing outcome was the enhanced production of CBD in response to increasing soil copper levels. The paper highlighted the possibility that CBD production might represent a genetic response to stress induced by cultivation in toxic environments. This insight opens the door for future studies to explore the relationship between CBD production and environmental stress.
Copper accumulation was found to be concentrated primarily in hemp plant roots and moderately in the lower part of stem shoots. This characteristic results in metal-free stalks suitable for industrial use, positioning hemp as an ideal candidate for phytoremediation due to its ability to generate an “enormous” biomass over a short life cycle.
Building on the potential of hemp in soil cleanup, Italian researchers had previously reported in 2021 that even hemp stems indicating the presence of heavy metals could be safely utilized in end products like hempcrete and pressed energy pellets. These products offer a dual benefit – utilizing hemp for construction and energy purposes while extracting metals for re-use from the remaining ashes.
Photo by: Muffin Creatives
