Cannabis Pathogens Affect Rope, Dope and Hope.

All crops have issues with respect to production and their practices; unlike agricultural staples like corn, soybean, and wheat, industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa
L. subsp. sativa var. sativa; THC<0.3%) was banned in the United States for over eighty years, resulting in large information gaps regarding production and pest
management. In 2015 trials in Indiana, we observed a diversity of pathogens common to hemp production, including Cercospora spp., Colletotrichum spp.,
Fusarium spp., Phoma spp., Phytophthora spp., Pythium spp., and Rhizoctonia spp. Preliminary fungal identifications were based upon a combination of morphological and molecular techniques. Current work is underway to confirm pathogenicity of the isolates obtained, and identify effective methods to manage these diseases. The classification of all Cannabis as a Schedule 1 narcotic prevents the necessary research to sustainably manage hemp pathogens. Numerous fungicides used in conventional agriculture are highly effective and are labeled to manage these pathogens on other grain and fiber crops, or even tobacco. To date, only those minimum risk pesticides that meet certain criteria are exempt from federal registration under section 25(b) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and can be used for all Cannabis production. These pesticides have limited efficacy data against plant pathogens compared to conventional fungicides already approved for other crops.