The University of Kentucky Plant Pathology Hemp program is lead by Dr. Nicole Gauthier. Her work focuses on the identification and management of hemp diseases. Dr. Gauthier educates growers through a range of resources such as publications, webinars, social media, videos, and websites. These resources as well as the HempPestMaps website have been created with the assistance of additional members of Dr. Gauthier’s team included an Undergraduate Student, Extension Associate, and Postdoctoral Scholar. Members of the Bugwood Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health and Southern IPM Center have also contributed to the development of the HempPestMaps website.
The goal of this project is to track the presence of plant diseases and arthropod pests of Cannabis sativa across the United States at a county level. This knowledge allows growers to utilize management strategies only when pests have been detected in their area. Further, as new reports are entered by specialists and researchers, spread and distribution is documented.
