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A survey of the arthropod fauna associated with hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) grown in eastern Colorado

Date

2019

Authors

Schreiner, Melissa, author
Cranshaw, Whitney, advisor
Uchanski, Mark, committee member
Peairs, Frank, committee member

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

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Abstract

Industrial hemp was found to support a diverse complex of arthropods in the surveys of hemp fields in eastern Colorado. Seventy-three families of arthropods were collected from hemp grown in eight counties in Colorado in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Other important groups found in collections were of the order Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera. The arthropods present in fields had a range of association with the crop and included herbivores, natural enemies, pollen feeders, and incidental species. Hemp cultivars grown for seed and fiber had higher insect species richness compared to hemp grown for cannabidiol (CBD). This observational field survey of hemp serves as the first checklist of arthropods associated with the crop in eastern Colorado. Emerging key pests of the crop that are described include: corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)), hemp russet mite (Aculops cannibicola (Farkas)), cannabis aphid (Phorodon cannabis (Passerini)), and Eurasian hemp borer (Grapholita delineana (Walker)). Local outbreaks of several species of grasshoppers were observed and produced significant crop injury, particularly twostriped grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus (Say)). Approximately half (46%) of the arthropods collected in sweep net samples during the three year sampling period were categorized as predators, natural enemies of arthropods. These findings are of significance considering the expanding cultivation of hemp both within the region of study and across the United States. A website developed to extend the information developed in this project has been accessed over 20,000 times in 28 months, indicating there is wide interest in this subject area.

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Subject

integrated pest management
hemp

Citation

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