2025 Multi-State Hemp Variety Trial: Preliminary report on Northern California Performance of Fiber and Grain Cultivars

Introduction

In 2025, coordinated field trials were conducted to evaluate the agronomic performance of selected Cannabis sativa L. cultivars for fiber and grain production across diverse environments in the western United States. The California trial was conducted at the University of California, Davis experimental fields in Davis, California. Understanding the performance, yield potential, and yield components of both historic and newly developed cultivars is critical for growers, researchers, and the hemp industry. Replicated variety trials conducted across multiple locations and growing seasons provide robust information on cultivar adaptation, productivity, stability, and genotype-by-environment interactions. These trials also generate data that supports cultivar selection, guide agronomic recommendations, and identify germplasm with superior performance under regional production conditions. The objective of this trial was to compare commercially available and experimental hemp cultivars for grain and fiber production under California conditions and to generate data that support cultivar recommendations for western U.S. production systems. Results from Oregon and Washington will be reported separately, together with a genotype-by-environment analysis across locations. 

Materials and Methods

Eight commercial hemp cultivars representing grain, fiber, and dual-purpose market classes were evaluated in the 2025 trial (Table 1). Białobrzeskie, Fedora 17, Futura 83, and Neo were sown at 250 seeds/m², while Earlina 8FC, Henola, Mona 16, and Ostara 9 were sown at 125 seeds/m². Neo is a recent selection developed by the Yakama Nation (Washington). Each experimental plot occupied 15 × 15 ft across three raised beds spaced 5 ft center-to-center. The experiment was established as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications at the California site. Flowering stages were assessed weekly to monitor crop development and determine the optimal timing of fiber harvest at male flowering and grain harvest at seed maturity (Table 2). 

A 20 ft² section was harvested within the plot so that it was buffered by plants of the same cultivar on adjacent beds and along the row to reduce direct border effects. Plants were cut six inches above ground from the sampled area. Stem, grain samples were dried and weighed. Stem samples from both the fiber and grain harvest timepoints are being evaluated for bast and hurd ratios both mechanically and chemically. Grain samples were cleaned to remove chaff and foreign material. Representative grain samples were submitted for quality assessment. Flower samples were collected for cannabinoid compliance testing. 

Results

Cultivars differed substantially in stand establishment, flowering time, stem biomass and grain yield. Earlina 8FC, Henola, Mona 16, and Ostara 9 were the earliest entries, with male flowering occurring at approximately 70–80 days after seeding (DAS). Białobrzeskie and Fedora 17 were intermediate, while Futura 83 and Neo were substantially later, reaching male flowering at approximately 100–120 DAS. Female flowering followed the same general pattern, with Neo being the latest cultivar (Table 2). 

Stem biomass harvested at male flowering differed markedly among cultivars. Futura 83 was the highest-yielding entry, averaging 3150 g harvest per harvest area. This corresponds to approximately 16.95 t/ha of dry stem biomass. Neo ranked second, averaging 2880 g, equivalent to approximately 15.50 t/ha. Mona 16, Białobrzeskie, and Fedora 17 formed an intermediate biomass group: Mona 16: 1190 g (~6.40 t/ha), Białobrzeskie: 1052.5 g, (5.66 t/ha) and Fedora 17: 940 g, (~5.06 t/ha). The lowest mean stem biomass occurred in Earlina 8FC: 386.2 g (~ 2.08 t/ha), Ostara 9: 560.0 g (3.01 t/ha) and Henola, 637.5 g (3.43 t/ha).  The statistical groupings clearly separated Futura 83 and Neo from the lower-biomass cultivars. The overall pattern indicates a strong maturity–biomass relationship: early cultivars initiated reproduction rapidly and accumulated comparatively little stem biomass, whereas later cultivars maintained vegetative growth for a longer period and produced substantially more fiber feedstock (Figure 1). The high biomass of Futura 83 and Neo should be interpreted in relation to production duration. Both were harvested for grain on October 17, substantially later than other cultivars. Their biomass advantage therefore came at the cost of an extended growing season. Under the long, irrigated California growing season, this extended maturity was beneficial for biomass accumulation, whereas in short season environments, it could become a production limitation.

Residual stem biomass measured at seed maturity followed the same general cultivar ranking. Futura 83 averaged 2155 g (11.60 t/ha). Neo averaged 1972.5 g (10.62 t/ha). All other cultivars averaged less than 500 g per harvest area; Białobrzeskie 463.8 g (2.50 t/ha) to Earlina 8FC 92.0 g (0.50 t/ha) (Table 3). These results indicate that Futura 83 and Neo retained substantial harvestable stem material after grain maturation and therefore had the best potential for dual-purpose systems in which seed is harvested first and the residual stems are subsequently processed (Figure 1). Residual stem biomass was lower than biomass harvested at male flowering for every cultivar. The male flowering and residual stem samples were independent harvests, and several processes could have contributed to the lower recoverable stem (branch loss, stem senescence, lodging, reproductive allocation, differences in harvest recovery after grain harvest). The consistent decline indicates that little or no additional stem biomass accumulated after male flowering and that delaying fiber harvest until grain maturity reduced the amount of recoverable stem biomass. Qualitative analyses of the collected stem samples are ongoing to determine bast and hurd ratios using mechanical decortication and chemical separation methods. 

Grain yield was determined from cleaned seed harvested from the same 20-ft² area and standardized to a common moisture basis. Mona 16 and Neo produced the highest mean grain yields, 575.7 g, (3.1 t/ha) and 569.8 g (3.1 t/ha). The next-highest mean yields were; Fedora 17: 503.8 g, (2.7 t/ha), Białobrzeskie: 457.1 g, (2.5 t/ha), Futura 83: 430.4 g, (2.3 t/ha), Henola: 402.5 g, (2.2 t/ha). Ostara 9 averaged 341.7 g, (1.8 t/ha), Earlina 8FC had the lowest mean grain yield at 192.8 g, (1.0 t/ha). The cultivar rankings show that high grain yield was not limited to one maturity class. Mona 16 achieved the highest mean grain yield without the extremely late maturity of Neo, while Fedora 17 combined relatively high grain yield with strong establishment. Futura 83 produced moderate-to-high grain yield but required the longest production period. Earlina 8FC matured rapidly but had the lowest grain and stem biomass yields, indicating that its main characteristic was earliness rather than maximum productivity. Resulting grain samples qualitative analyses are ongoing for lipid and protein content. 

Discussion

The trial identified clear differences among hemp cultivars in flowering time, stem biomass, and grain production, providing region-specific information for cultivar selection under irrigated conditions in the western United States.

• Mona 16 was the strongest grain cultivar overall, combining the highest average grain yield, relatively early-to-intermediate maturity, and moderate stem biomass. This combination makes it particularly well suited for grain production with a shorter production season.
• Fedora 17 showed the most balanced overall performance. It combined excellent stand establishment, high grain yield, intermediate maturity, moderate stem biomass, suggesting strong potential as a grain-oriented dual-purpose cultivar.
• Futura 83 was the strongest fiber cultivar, producing the greatest stem biomass at both male flowering and grain maturity. However, its principal limitation was very late maturity, requiring a substantially longer growing season.
• Neo combined high grain yield with very high stem biomass and retained substantial stem biomass after grain harvest, indicating strong dual-purpose potential. However, it’s very late maturity may limit its suitability. It is best adapted to environments with a long, dry, frost-free fall. Short or wet production seasons would increase the risk of delayed maturity, lodging, weather damage, and harvest losses.
• Białobrzeskie provided balanced intermediate performance for grain yield, stem biomass, and maturity. Although it was not the highest-performing cultivar for any individual trait, its consistent performance suggests good production stability across multiple objectives.
• Henola produced reasonable grain yield despite having the lowest standing establishment, indicating considerable compensatory productivity by the surviving plants. The poor standing establishment may have resulted from inconsistent germination or seedling establishment. Reduced plant density can increase weed competition and decrease yield stability.
• Ostara 9, with relatively early maturity produced comparatively low grain and stem biomass yields.
• Earlina 8FC was the earliest-maturing cultivar but also produced the lowest grain yield and stem biomass. Its primary advantage is reduced late-season environmental risk rather than maximum productivity.

Conclusions

The trial demonstrated a clear tradeoff between maturity and biomass production. Early maturing cultivars reduced exposure to late-season risk but accumulated less stem biomass, whereas late-maturing cultivars, particularly Futura 83 and Neo, exploited the long-irrigated California growing season to produce substantially greater biomass at the expense of a longer production cycle. For grain production, Mona 16 and Fedora 17 provided the best combination of yield, maturity, and agronomic performance. For fiber production, Futura 83 was the superior cultivar because of its high stem biomass. Neo also produced high grain and biomass yields but required the longest growing season and therefore carries greater production risk outside environments with long season. Overall, Fedora 17, Mona 16, Futura 83, and Neo represent distinct options for grain, fiber, and dual-purpose production depending on regional climate, harvest objectives, and acceptable production risk.

Acknowledgment

This work is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS), project award no. 2021-68012-35957 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy. 

Affiliations

Dániel Pap¹, Amine A. Sebai¹, Everald McLennon², Stephen D. Baluch², Gordon B. Jones², David R. Gang³, Bonny Jo Peterson³, Jeffrey Steiner², and E. Charles Brummer¹

¹ University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, Plant Breeding Center, Davis, California, USA

² Oregon State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Global Hemp Innovation Center, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

³ Washington State University, Center for Cannabis Policy, Research and Outreach, Pullman, Washington, USA