Punya Nachappa, PhD
Associate Professor, Entomology, Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University
Nirit Bernstein, PhD Professor, Agricultural Research Institute- Volcani Center, Israel.
To date, there has been little or no direction for pesticide use on Cannabis sativa whether in the form of hemp or marijuana in the U.S. Another critical issue is the effect of the pesticide application on the cannabinoid profiles and residue tolerances. Our main goal therefore is to study the interaction between application of pesticides on pest populations, persistence of chemical residues in the cannabis yields, and metabolic shifts in the cannabinoid profiles. To this end, we will analyze effects of a range of pesticides commonly used in the hemp industry, both synthetic and organic, on residues in the inflorescence; and on temporal changes in the cannabinoid profiles; and pest populations. This international collaboration with Dr. Nirit Bernstein at the Agricultural Research Institute-Volcani Center, Israel, will generate the much-needed information for producers, industry stakeholders and government agencies to produce a safe and sustainable hemp crop.