What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Cancer.

Where was this research published?

Published in Plant disease on September 3, 2026.

Wheat cover crops may raise hemp disease and toxin risks

Q: What did this research study find?

Hemp planted after a wheat cover crop had **more *Fusarium graminearum* inoculum** than hemp planted after mustard or following conventional tillage.

Cover Crop Impacts Fusarium Head Blight Incidence and Mycotoxin Contamination of Cannabis sativa.

Plant disease • September 3, 2026 • Highly Relevant

🤖

AI Summary

A two-year, multisite field trial in Kentucky examined whether the crop-management choices made before planting hemp affect Fusarium head blight (FHB), a serious fungal disease. Hemp planted without tillage after a wheat cover crop encountered more Fusarium graminearum inoculum than hemp planted after mustard or hemp grown following conventional tillage.

The wheat-cover-crop treatment also produced the highest FHB incidence, fungal DNA levels, and mycotoxin contamination in harvested hemp grain. Contamination measured in 2024 exceeded advisory limits established for other crops. Although the abstract does not provide specific contamination values, it indicates that cover-crop selection and tillage may be important tools for reducing disease and contamination risks in hemp production.

💡 Key Findings

Hemp planted after a wheat cover crop had more Fusarium graminearum inoculum than hemp planted after mustard or following conventional tillage.

High

80%

The wheat-cover-crop treatment resulted in the highest FHB incidence, fungal DNA, and mycotoxin contamination in harvested hemp grain.

High

80%

Mycotoxin contamination observed in 2024 exceeded advisory limits established for other crops, highlighting a potential quality and safety concern for hemp grain.

Good

75%

The results support using tillage and cover-crop selection as cultural management tools for FHB in hemp production.

High

80%

📄 Original Abstract

Hemp has been commercially produced in Kentucky since federal reintroduction in 2018. Fusarium head blight (FHB) is among the most detrimental diseases encountered in Kentucky hemp production. Growers are heavily reliant on cultural management practices to manage FHB of hemp, as resistant cultivars have not been identified and fungicide options are limited. A 2-year multisite field trial was conducted in 2024 and 2025 to determine whether cover crop preceding hemp influenced Fusarium graminearum inoculum load and FHB incidence as well as mycotoxin contamination. Hemp that was no-till planted following a wheat cover crop was exposed to more inoculum than hemp no-till planted into mustard or planted following conventional tillage. In addition, the hemp following wheat had the highest levels of FHB incidence and F. graminearum DNA and mycotoxins in the harvested grain. The mycotoxin contamination levels observed in 2024 were above the advisory limits set for other crops. The results from this study indicate that cultural management practices such as tillage or cover cropping can have significant impacts on FHB in hemp production.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: Plant disease
Published: September 3, 2026
PMID: 41834348
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-02-26-0295-RE

Authors (6)

Henry Smith Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.
Annika Church Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.
Robert Pearce Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.
Misbakhul Munir North Mississippi Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Verona, MS, U.S.A.
Edward Dixon Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.
+1 more authors