Hemp Growth and Fibre Processing Possibilities in Latvia
Latgales Tautsaimniecības pētījumi: sociālo zinātņu žurnāls 2012
Ilze Baltiņa, Zaiga Zamuška, Veneranda Stramkale, Guntis Strazds

In Europe rapidly increases use of hemp fibre. This tendency is connected with carbon and glas sfibre substitution with recycled and biodegradable raw materials for use in car production. Scientists and manufacturers work to obtain new composite materials where hemp fibre will be as reinforcement. Hemp fibres are light and with high tensile strength comparing with other technical fibres. Advantage – eco-friendly utilization possibilities. The research work to determine hemp fibre efficiency was carried out for two years at Latgales Agricultural Research Centre. In this work different hemp fibre varieties were used. To determine the most suitable varieties for Latvian climatic conditions all the varieties were tested at the laboratories of Riga Technical University, Institute of TextileMaterial Technologies and Design. We are looking for new possibilities to make technical textile samples from different hemp fibre varieties. In coorporation with Laboratories of the Scientific Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment „BIOR” the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in different variety cannabis plants were determined. It was concluded that amount of THC of different open-air cultivation varieties grown in Latvia is different but anyway this amount is much less than the acceptable norm. The novelty of research. Hemp fibre growing for fibre production resumed only in recent years after almost a century long break. So the farmers do not have any information and they have no experience. At the same we should think about hemp fibre producing possibilities in Latvia to obtain product with higher added value.


Keywords
Composite materials, fibre, hemp, THC
Hyperlink
http://www.ru.lv/ckfinder/userfiles/RAweb/Saturs/zinatne/rakstu_krajumi/latv_tauts_petijumi/Nr_1(4).pdf

Baltiņa, I., Zamuška, Z., Stramkale, V., Strazds, G. Hemp Growth and Fibre Processing Possibilities in Latvia. Latgales Tautsaimniecības pētījumi: sociālo zinātņu žurnāls, 2012, No. 1, pp.42-53. ISSN 1691-5828.

Publication language
Latvian (lv)
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