A technique for nondestructive early prediction of fiber content in hemp bast

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is one of the most important "green fibers".To enhance breeding of hemp cultivars with increased fiber content,it is important to contrive a technique for nondestructive early prediction of fiber content in hemp bast to select elite individuals before flowering as parents of hybridization or for seed multiplication of cultivars.This paper investigated the correlation of fiber content in bast of plant parts and whole plant and change pattern of bast fiber content along with plant growth in three hemp cultivars.The bast fiber content in hemp plants was determined in early growth period before staminate flowers development.Therefore,the fiber content in a piece of bast of 20cm long and 1/5 girth wide sampled at 3/5 plant height 30 days before, or 2/5 plant height 20 days before male buds emergence could well represent that of the whole plant.In conclusion, it is promising to select hemp plant of high bast fiber content in early-mid growth period before male buds emergence by using a nondestructive method.