Competing with universities such as Cornell and Purdue, Lincoln University has recently been awarded the USDA NIFA (National Institute for Food and Agriculture) grant for research benefiting hemp in the Midwest.
The $600,000 grant was awarded to the university for its work researching the uses of industrial hemp. By working with several collaborators across the state, Dr. Babu Valliyodan, who is project director and a Lincoln University professor, is working to broaden the state's knowledge and production of hemp.
"We are more than happy to have $600,000 to improve or produce hemp in the Midwest," Valliyodan said. "We are very proud that we got the funding and that is very important to us moving forward."
Through their project, three objectives will be pursued. The first of which is to increase the production of hemp in the state of Missouri as well as using this information to breed new variations or genetics for stable production.
"My aim is to grow this thing inside the major production locations in the state of Missouri and that would be about a minimum of six locations," he said. "That means if somebody needs some plants, we can say that these varieties grow well there and what wouldn't."
This would be followed by studying crop management through integrated pest management. By testing different kinds of fertilizers, the project has a much clearer understanding of the proper condition for hemp to grow.
The final goal of this project is its extension and outreach program. What LU and its collaborators will be studying is how hemp can be used for industrial purposes, which means creating workshops to inform farmers, growers, market users and law enforcement as they gain more research on how to draw fiber, grain and cannabinoids for the plant.
"We are in the forefront of research and extension, which can be helpful giving some products to the farmers or growers of industrial hemp in the Midwest," Valliyodan said. "We can also address some of the national problems growing hemp as well. That is why we are very proud because we are the only ones in the Midwest doing this."
The project will also include ways of reducing THC in plants used for industrial hemp for farmers as well as furthering the education of students in the field of agriculture, molecular biology and plant science.
Valliyodan said Lincoln will be leading this project through their study of genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry. However, they will also be working with other universities across the state as collaborators.
"We have three major collaborators which are Truman State University, Missouri State University and Southeast Missouri State University," he said.
The University of Missouri will also be assisting as a co-project investigator. This means Lincoln will be heading the project with four other universities working in tandem.
"It's a very ambitious and very huge project," Valliyodan said. "Hopefully, this project will help us to get more funding sources to open up. It's very prestigious work that we are normally doing for the state of Missouri, but we are now doing it for the Midwest.
"Hopefully, the success of this project will have hemp to become a real commodity for the state of Missouri," he said.