10 February 2020 - Duration of stem retting in the field depends on hemp harvesting date

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10 February 2020 - Duration of stem retting in the field depends on hemp harvesting date

10 February 2020 - Duration of stem retting in the field depends on hemp harvesting date

Retting, first processing step in the field of fibre plant stems after harvesting, is a selective degradation of external tissues facilitating the subsequent mechanical extraction of industrially-relevant cellulosic fibers.

The work published by Laurent Bleuze, PhD of URCA and the researchers of the UMR FARE, examined how the date of harvesting of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) modifies the quality of the stems, resulting for hemp harvested at flowering stage, in a faster decohesion of the fiber and thus accelerated retting bundles due to microbial colonization of the stem outer tissues, compared to hemp harvested at maturity. Using an original experimental device for simulating different climatic conditions, the retting dynamics was monitored by combining physico-chemical, spectroscopic and colorimetric analysis of stems. This work opens perspectives in terms of numerical modelling (work in progress) and the development of operational indicators for the management of retting by farmers and manufacturers. This original work was recently praised by the French Academy of Agriculture. It was co-financed by INRAE and the Grand-Reims Metropole.

Read: Bleuze L, Chabbert B, Lashermes G, Recous S (2020) Hemp harvest time impacts on the dynamics of microbial colonization and hemp stems degradation during dew retting. Industrial Crops and Products, 145, 112122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2020.112122

Contacts:  Dr Sylvie Recous, sylvie.recous@inrae.fr
                  Dr Brigitte Chabbert, brigitte.chabbert@inrae.fr
                  Dr Gwenaëlle Lashermes gwenaëlle.lashermes@inrae.fr

Modification date : 06 June 2023 | Publication date : 05 February 2020 | Redactor : S. Recous / B. Chabbert / G. Lashermes / G. Paës