Hemp is highly celebrated for its incredible resiliency and relatively low maintenance needs. While hemp can offer many cultivation benefits when compared to other cash crops, farmers still need to look out for common pests and diseases. When it comes to hemp farming concerns, it’s important to be educated and vigilant. Mold is unfortunately one of the leading issues local farmers will need to be aware of. For farmers growing hemp in Alabama, the high humidity increases mold concerns. These are the most common molds you’ll need to keep an eye out for:
Types of Hemp Mold Prevalent In Alabama Farms
- Gray mold: Gray mold is an important one to prevent since it destroys hemp flowers. This mold attacks through wounds or openings but can also attack healthy crops. Farmers can spot this mold through brown or gray-brown spots on wet hemp flower.
- White mold: If you spot brown lesions on the stems of your plants, then you probably have white mold. These lesions compromise structural integrity and lead to brittle stems.
- Powdery mildew: Powdery mildew often appears as white flour-like dust across your plants. It can also create yellow-to-brown ascomata. Due to the higher humidity here, you’ll need to provide proper spacing between crops to create better airflow. Make sure to prioritize spacing in order to minimize the risk of this.
- Sooty mold: Named after its appearance, sooty mold actually feeds off of the common insects and pests found on your plants. While sooty mold doesn’t directly affect your crops, it does interfere with sunlight exposure. With minimized sunlight, hemp crops experience disrupted photosynthesis and become damaged.
- Fusarium: This is the scariest mold of them all since it strikes fast and can take out your entire farm. Fusarium targets the roots and damages this system before symptoms are noticeable. If you experience an infection, there’s unfortunately not much you can do. That’s why hemp insurance is always a good option to consider.
Work With Alabama’s Preferred CBD Seed Company
CBD Seed Co. is honored to be the preferred CBD seed company serving the state of Alabama. Our team is happy to help you with your mold prevention plan. Work with us for prevention tips, comprehensive resources, and high-quality, mold-resistant genetics. For more information regarding common hemp molds, please contact us!