LONGMONT, COLO, February 17, 2021 — Hemp seed breeder Trilogene Seeds releases three new autoflower hemp varietals for 2021 seed sales, a bid to meet the needs of hemp growers in regions like Thailand and Latin America predicted to dominate the future of global CBD hemp production.
After 80 years of prohibition, Thailand is the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize hemp cultivation, finalizing its rules on Jan 29, 2021. Projections by Cannabis Catalysts predict the Thai market for hemp production could be as much as $46 to $388 million annually.
In Latin America, several countries, including Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Uruguay, have legalized hemp production. The Brightfield Group projects the Latin American hemp market will nearly quadruple by 2023, reaching $448 million.
Autoflower hemp, or Cannabis ruderalis, does not depend on daylight hours to trigger flowering, unlike the traditional hemp species, Cannabis sativa. This makes autoflower hemp uniquely appropriate for nations located near the equator.
However, until Trilogene’s 2021 autoflower release, no autoflower cannabis varietals had been explicitly bred to meet the humid, tropical regions of Latin America and Thailand. The few autoflower hemp varietals on the market before Trilogene’s 2021 release were best suited for dry, low-humidity conditions or indoor production, said Matt Haddad, CEO of Trilogene Seeds.
“The number one factor for success in growing hemp is choosing the right hemp seed,” Haddad says, “Latin America and Thailand hemp growers deserve high CBD varietals bred for their unique needs.”
Initial autoflower varietals were also problematically low in CBD content. Autoflower is ready to harvest quickly — 60 to 95 days from seeding — and their smaller stature means growers can plant many more in the same space. But low CBD content combined with susceptibility to mold and mildew had turned many hemp growers off of autoflower cultivars.
However, Trilogene is confident their new releases will meet the needs of equatorial growers. Trilogene begin breeding autoflower specifically for tropical regions like Thailand, Argentina and Zimbabwe anticipating the needs of an emerging global hemp market, Haddad says.
Trilogene Seeds is an award-winning hemp genetics company using data science and a strong commitment to grower partnerships to develop new, cutting edge hemp cultivars for U.S. and international markets.
For more information about Trilogene’s autoflower hemp breeding program please contact Felicia at [email protected]