Protein Content of Several Industrial Hemp Genotypes – Comparative Analysis

Abstract

The study aimed to compare the protein content of seeds in a collection of industrial hemp genotypes. The field experiment was located within the ARDS Lovrin, agricultural year 2024 – 2025. The comparative crop was located on a plot with chernozem soil, in a non-irrigated system. Ten hemp genotypes were cultivated, designated IHG 1 to IHG 10 (IHG – industrial hemp genotype). Sowing was done manually, in nests, at a distance of 70 cm between rows and 50 cm between plants per row, with three rows on each experimental plot and an area of ​​12.6 m² for each variant (genotype). The experiment was organized in randomized blocks, in three replications. At physiological maturity, samples of inflorescences with seeds were taken on the experimental variants and replications, and the seeds were extracted. After seed conditioning (selection, drying), subsamples were taken from each experimental variant and the protein content (PRO, %) was determined in the ARDS Lovrin laboratories. The mean values ​​of protein content ranged from PRO = 22.81±1.17% (IHG 4) to PRO = 25.47±0.55 (IHG 7). ANOVA Test confirmed the reliability of the experimental data and the presence of variance in the data set (p<0.05). Compared to the average value at the experiment level (  = 24.19%), three genotypes presented values ​​above the average, with differences at the p<0.001 level (IHG 7, ***), p<0.01 (IHG 1, **), respectively p<0.05 (IHG 5, *), and one genotype with values ​​below the average, at the p<0.001 level (IHG 4, ^OOO). The ANOVA test (t Test) and the Kruskal-Wallis Test confirmed significant differences between the mean and median values, and the Dunn's post hoc Test confirmed differences between the genotypes tested.