HEMP Lab
Hemp, Environment, Metabolism & Products Laboratory
Welcome to the HEMP Lab at Washington State University, leading hemp research in Washington State.
Our research spans the hemp value chain, from genetics, crop production, soil and environmental interactions, and plant metabolism to grain, fiber, protein, specialized metabolites, product quality, and emerging industrial applications. We work closely with growers, processors, industry partners, Tribal partners, state and federal agencies, and researchers at universities across the United States and internationally.
Our goal is to understand how genetics × environment × management shape hemp performance and composition, and to translate that knowledge into improved production systems, varieties, products, and economic opportunities.
Current Research
Hemp in Crop Rotations and Soil Management
A major focus of the HEMP Lab is the DOE-funded RACIPAC “Yardsticking” project, which is examining how the inclusion of hemp and biochar-based soil amendments affects crop rotation systems, soil properties, crop performance, and long-term agricultural productivity.
Our work integrates field trials with chemical, metabolic, physiological, and agronomic measurements to understand how hemp functions within diversified cropping systems.
Building a Western Hemp Bioeconomy
We work closely with major western U.S. partners, including Oregon State University, UC Davis, and the University of Nevada, Reno, on several large hemp initiatives.
One project, supported through USDA NIFA’s Strengthening Agricultural Systems program, is identifying the production, processing, market, infrastructure, and policy factors needed to develop a viable hemp bioeconomy in the western United States.
We are also part of a large national hemp variety-testing effort led by the University of Kentucky. At Washington State University, we evaluate dual-purpose, grain, and fiber hemp varieties to determine their agronomic performance, adaptation, yield, and product characteristics under Pacific Northwest conditions.
Partnerships with Tribal Nations
Our regional hemp research includes close collaboration with Tribal partners, particularly the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Nez Perce Tribe, Puyallup Tribe, Tulalip Tribes, and Yakama Nation, as well as Tribal partners in Oregon, Nevada, and California.
These partnerships contribute to broader efforts to evaluate hemp production systems, economic opportunities, and potential uses of hemp across the western United States.
Hemp, Environment, and Plant Chemistry
The HEMP Lab uses metabolomics, proteomics, analytical chemistry, plant physiology, and molecular approaches to understand how hemp responds to its environment and how those responses influence crop quality and end use.
Current areas of research include:
- Legacy pesticide uptake. We investigate how Cannabis sativa, using hemp as an experimental model, takes up persistent soil contaminants such as DDT and its transformation products DDE and DDD. This work has included support from the Washington State Department of Ecology.
- Hemp specialized metabolism. We investigate the metabolic and regulatory processes controlling production of important specialized metabolites in hemp.
- Hemp × biochar interactions. We examine how hemp, biochar, soil properties, and microbial processes interact to influence soil health and crop productivity.
- Hemp breeding and adaptation. We work with regional breeders and germplasm resources to identify and develop hemp varieties adapted to Washington and Pacific Northwest production environments.
- Hemp grain, fiber, and protein. We evaluate variation in hemp seed composition, protein, lipids, fiber traits, and other characteristics important for food, feed, and industrial applications.
- Analytical and regulatory testing. We evaluate hemp testing methods for reproducibility, robustness, and suitability for research, industry, and regulatory applications.
- Controlled-environment research. Our research extends beyond traditional field production systems. Many projects in the HEMP Lab involve controlled-environment production systems.
International Hemp Research
We are increasingly engaged in international assessment of hemp industries, with current work focused on France and other European countries. Our goal is to understand how established hemp sectors organize production, processing, markets, research, policy, and relationships across the value chain, while learning directly from growers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, and industry organizations.
Supporting Hemp Research at Washington State University
Dr. David Gang holds Washington State University’s hemp production license and helps support hemp research conducted by faculty, staff, and students across WSU.
Collaborative projects have included work in plant pathology, entomology, crop science, food science, soil science, chemistry, engineering, economics, and other disciplines. Examples include research examining how hemp varieties differ in their susceptibility to pests and pathogens and how environmental conditions influence plant performance and composition.
The HEMP Lab also provides access to advanced analytical capabilities through collaborations with WSU’s Tissue Imaging, Metabolomics and Proteomics Laboratory (TIMPL) and other university facilities.
Science, Industry, and Policy
The HEMP Lab works at the intersection of research and application. We regularly interact with growers, processors, product developers, industry organizations, regulatory agencies, and policymakers.
Dr. Gang provides scientific expertise to Washington State agencies and other organizations on issues involving industrial hemp and Cannabis sativa, including crop production, environmental interactions, analytical testing, product composition, and related scientific and regulatory questions.
Our broader objective is to help move hemp research from plants and fields to processing, products, markets, and practical application.