Student Scholars & Faculty Mentors
Projects funded by our internal grants program. Search the table to find students or faculty mentors that share in your interests, and could help you achieve your goals in research, creative activity, or service.
Pioneering the Hemp Microbiome; Implication in Potential Crop Rotations in Pennsylvania
Name: Snavely,
Advisor: Laura Ramos-Sepulveda
Department: BIOL
Award: Student Research Grant
Abstract: Cannabis sativa L. is perhaps one of the most infamous plants worldwide - leading to a history of prohibition. Consequently, little is known about the plant. Cannabis sativa has two main informal groupings: the widely known drug marijuana, and hemp, the psychoactive-free form of Cannabis, which is exploding in popularity. With products such as cannabidiol (CBD), hemp seeds, and natural fiber, hemp has many uses. The demand for these products is increasing while our knowledge of the plant remains stagnant. In this project, we aim to pioneer the soil microbiome (rhizosphere) of hemp. Hemp is expected to be rotated with other important crops in Pennsylvania such as corn and soybeans - thus their microbiota will be shared. In light of this possible transmission of microbiota through crop rotation, it is imperative to understand the bacterial composition of the hemp rhizosphere. This illumination of the microbiome allows for the analysis of beneficial and pathogenic bacteria the crops have in common - at the soil level. Understanding the rhizosphere microbial community is key to the successful production of hemp.