Challenges and Opportunities for Organic Hop Production in the United States

Abstract

Hop cones grown on the female plant of the perennial crop (Humulus lupulus L.) are an integral component of the brewing process and provide flavor, bitterness, aroma, and antimicrobial properties to beer. Demand for organically grown hops from consumers via the brewing industry is on the rise; however, due to high N requirements and severe disease, weed, and arthropod pressures, hops are an extremely difficult crop to grow organically. Currently, the majority of the world's organic hops are grown in New Zealand, while other countries, including China, are beginning to increase organic hop production. Land under organic hop production in Washington State, where 75% of the hops in the United States are grown, increased from 1.6 ha to more than 26 ha from 2004 to 2010, and other hop‐producing states demonstrate a similar trend. Removing hops from the USDA Organic Exemption list in January 2013 is expected to greatly increase organic hop demand and will require corresponding increases in organic hop hectarage. Current challenges, including weed management, fertility and irrigation management, insect and disease pressures, and novel practices that address these issues will be presented. Here, we discuss current and future research that will potentially impact organic hop production in the United States.

Cultivation trials of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) in semi-arid environments

“…Hop breeding has historically been focused on improving alpha-acids content and resistance to the main diseases, starting from the clonal selections obtained from wild hops, and then crossed with European noble landraces ( Patzak et al., 2010 ). Researches on hop breeding have also led to the requalification of taxonomic varieties ( Knobloch et al., 1982 ; Turner et al., 2011 ), such as H. lupulus var. pubescens and var.…”

Effect of deficit irrigation on yield quantity and quality, water productivity and economic returns of four cultivars of hops in the Yakima Valley, Washington State

“…Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) are herbaceous perennial plants whose root systems are extensively branched. The crowns can survive for 50 or more years (Wample and Farrar, 1983), although hop yards are normally replanted every 10 to 20 years or less, due to reduced yields or when the market demands it (Turner et al, 2011). The harvested product on a hop plant is the fully mature female flower, commonly known as the hop cone.…”

The Influence of Ecological and Conventional Plant Production Systems on Soil Microbial Quality under Hops (Humulus lupulus)

“…Ecological hop production currently makes up a small but steadily increasing percentage of the worldwide hops supply [1]. As new farms are established to grow food ecologically, new solutions are still being searched to fulfill all standards of ecological farming.…”