Abstract

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa) has a long history of use as a fiber crop due to its high-quality fiber suitable for diverse textile production. This study compared the fiber yield and biomass potential of thirteen newly developed hemp lines from Kasetsart University (RPF1, KU40, KU45, KU51, KU08, KU23, KU26, KU27, KU36, KU37, KU48, KU49, and KU53). The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Growth parameters measured included plant height, stem length, number of branches, internode length, basal stem diameter, mid-stem diameter, apical stem diameter, total stem weight, core weight, and dry fiber weight. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in fiber yield or biomass among the thirteen lines. Therefore, these lines demonstrated comparable potential for fiber and biomass production. However, correlation analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between diameter of stem and stem weight (r = 0.712, p < 0.01). And positive correlation between stem diameter and dry fiber weight (r=0.480, p < 0.5) This suggests that stem weight can be a useful selection criterion for identifying hemp lines with high biomass potential.