Patent Publication Number: US-PP33162-P3

Title: Hemp plant named ‘Eighty Eight’

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Botanical classification:  Cannabis  hybrid. 
     Variety denomination: ‘Eighty Eight’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a new and distinct hemp cultivar, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name, ‘Eighty Eight’. It is noted that “hemp” is a term used to describe varieties of  Cannabis  that contain 0.3% or less Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content by dry weight. 
     The inventor, Jeremy Klettke, discovered the new cultivar of distinct lineage as a result of crossing two stabilized open source (unpatented) parents, hybridized from the species  Cannabis sativa  L. and  Cannabis indica . More specifically, ‘Eighty Eight’ was discovered through a series of outdoor field trials carried out in 2016, 2017, and 2018, combined with a number of parallel indoor pollination projects at Mr. Klettke&#39;s breeding facility in LaPine, Oreg. ‘Eighty Eight’ was the result of working with more than 4,000 individual variations of this hybrid. 
     Further developed in a closed environment breeding program, carried out indoors, ‘Eighty Eight’ is characterized as an average yielding cultivar for Cannabidiol (CBD) production containing very low quantities of THC, Cannabigerol (CBG), Resorcinol, 2-(3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl)-5-pentyl, Cannabichromenic Acid (CBC-A), 5-hydroxy-2methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)-7-pentyl-chromene-6-carboxylic acid. ‘Eighty Eight’ also contains a Myrcene and Limonene dominant terpene profile. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been done by stem propagation performed at Mr. Klettke&#39;s breeding facility in LaPine, Oreg. The unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type through successive generations. This is a cultivar bred for plant resin production, containing quantifiable and extractable amounts of CBD, CBG, CBC, Myrcene, and Limonene, with very low accompanying quantities of any psychoactive compounds such as THC, Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and Cannabinol (CBN). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S. Colour Chart), 6 th  edition, 2015, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. 
     The term “cultivar” is used herein interchangeably with “variety” “strain,” and/or “clone.” 
     The cultivar ‘Eighty Eight’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. 
     The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Eighty Eight’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Eighty Eight’ as a new and distinct hemp cultivar:
         1. This plant is stable and quick growing.   2. This plant is able to grow in a number of microclimates and bioregions.   3. This plant is resistant to powdery mildew ( Podosphaera xanthii ), grey mold or  Botrytis  ( Botrytis cinerea ), and white mold ( Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ).   4. This plant contains measurable quantities of non-psychoactive compounds such as CBD, CBG, CBC, and Terpenes such as Myrcene and Limonene, and contains low quantities of THC or any other intoxicating compound, with a median CBD to THC ratio of 31:1 at time of harvest. The range of cannabinoids by percentage weight is 7-12%. Specifically, the range of CBD by percentage weight is 7-9%, the range of CBG by percentage weight is 0.09-0.5%, the range of CBC by percentage weight is 0.07-0.1%, and the range of THC by percentage weight is 0.2-0.3%.   5. This plant contains significantly higher quantities of minor cannabinoids and terpenes than either of its parents. Specifically, this plant has higher quantities of beta-Myrcene, beta-Carophyllene, Ocimene Isomer II, alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene, alpha-Humulene, alpha-Basabolol, Limonene, and endo-fenchyl alcohol when compared to its parents. As determined by liquid chromatography, the range percentages by weight of cannabinoids are 7.8-12.1%, and the range percentages by weight of terpenes are 0.75-3.5%.   6. This plant has low hermaphroditic potential.   7. This plant naturally breaks apically dominant growth providing greater yield potential.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Colors in the photographs may appear different from the color values that appear in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the new cultivar. 
       The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and, although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance, it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques. 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a plant of ‘Eighty Eight’, showing a developed water leaf. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a plant of ‘Eighty Eight’, showing a cross-section of a cut stem. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a plant of ‘Eighty Eight’, showing an immature, partially developed flower. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a plant of ‘Eighty Eight’, showing a mature, developed flower. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a plant of ‘Eighty Eight’, showing a whole, mature plant. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     This invention relates to a new hemp plant hybrid of  Cannabis sativa  L. and  Cannabis indica  named ‘Eighty Eight’. ‘Eighty Eight’ is a plant bred for indoor and outdoor production of plant resin containing measurable quantities of non-psychoactive compounds such as CBD, CBG, CBC, Terpenes such as Myrcene and Limonene, and low quantities of THC or any other intoxicating compound. The present plant was developed over 3.5 years at Mr. Klettke&#39;s breeding facility in LaPine, Oreg., using parents selected from open source unstabilized dioecious seed and propagated cuttings. The plant can be grown in most climates through a normal summer growing season from 30-50 degrees of latitude either North or South of the equator. Although this plant is primarily dependent on the photoperiod for flowering, it can be grown throughout a large part of the year in latitudes within 15 degrees of the equator.
     Parentage:
             Seed .—Unnamed  Cannabis  hybrid ‘Oracle’ x ‘Otto II’ #254 x ‘American Feral’ #96.     Pollen .—Unnamed  Cannabis  hybrid ‘Oracle’ x ‘Otto II’ #259.       
       

     The parent plants of ‘Eighty Eight’ consist of a mother developed from the crossing of an elite, open source clone named ‘Oracle’ crossed with an unstabilized open source wild male plant from the Midwestern United States referred to as ‘American Feral’. The father is a selection made by the inventor from a developed but unstabilized open source hemp seed variety named ‘Otto II’. ‘Oracle’ is a stable resin producing female with a CBD to THC ratio of 20:1 and has been available in limited circles of  Cannabis  cultivators and breeders. 
     ‘Oracle’ is a short growing bushy plant with 1-1.5 inch internodal spacing with moderately broad leaf structure. ‘American Feral’ is a developed line created at Mr. Klettke&#39;s breeding facility and was selected from an indoor closed pollination project done in Mr. Klettke&#39;s breeding facility in 2017, which included pollen selected from 5 male plants and 96 different female plants. The 101 selections included in this closed pollination project were chosen from the expressions and analytics from 423 wild seeds collected in the Midwestern United States in 2015 and grown outdoors in a field trial in Oregon in 2016. ‘Otto II’ was developed and released in seed form as a CBD producing hemp cultivar for outdoor production. ‘Otto II’ contains small but measurable amounts of terpenes and very little THC, with ratios of CBD to THC ranging from 15:1 through 25:1 
     The claimed plant ‘Eighty Eight’ has been stabilized and has a median CBD to THC ratio of 31:1, with analytics consistently remaining below a total threshold of 0.3% THC. ‘Eighty Eight’ also contains significantly higher quantities of minor cannabinoids and terpenes (predominately Myrcene and Limonene) than either of its parents and has been bred to a point of stability which helps the plant avoid hermaphroditic potential. ‘Eighty Eight’ has a longer internodal spacing than its mother plant and a shorter internodal spacing than its father plant. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE I 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 LATIN 
                   
               
               
                 NAME 
                   
               
               
                 OF THE 
                   
               
               
                 FAMILY, 
                   
               
               
                 GENUS  
                   
               
               
                 AND 
                   
               
               
                 SPECIES 
                   Cannabis  hybrid 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 VARIETY 
                 ‘Eighty Eight’ 
               
               
                 DENOMI- 
                   
               
               
                 NATION 
                   
               
               
                 MARKET 
                 Hemp 
               
               
                 CLASS 
                   
               
               
                 PROPA- 
                 Typically propagated asexually via stem cuttings and 
               
               
                 GATION 
                 F1 rootstock. Cloning is performed in a propagation  
               
               
                   
                 chamber with low par reduced spectrum lighting. The  
               
               
                   
                 propagation chamber has reduced environmental  
               
               
                   
                 variablity to maintain a relative humidity at or about 
               
               
                   
                 75% and a constant temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. 
               
               
                 PLANT  
                 Branching, bush-like structure with multiple 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 terminal branches. The natural height of the plant at 
               
               
                 TION 
                 annual harvest (maturity) is 4-5 feet, and the width 
               
               
                   
                 is 5-6 feet. The plant is primarily self supporting 
               
               
                   
                 through its life cycle and will not require trellising. 
               
               
                 STEM  
                 Hollow ribbed stem with some purple striping on the 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 more mature woody parts. Stem thickness is medium, 
               
               
                 TION 
                 stem depth of ribbing is medium, and stem pith in 
               
               
                   
                 cross-section is medium. Shoots and stems have a  
               
               
                   
                 rough sand-paper-like feel due primarily to sessile 
               
               
                   
                 glands on the leaf surface. Young shoots are winter- 
               
               
                   
                 green in color (RHS 128A) changing to darker green 
               
               
                   
                 (RHS 132C) and finally to purple (RHS N74A). 
               
               
                 BUD  
                 Early flower development and heavy resin production 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 in early flowering, stigma that are primarily white (RHS 
               
               
                 TION 
                 N155C) in color with some orange hues (RHS 158C), 
               
               
                   
                 uniform 1.618:1 calyx braiding or stacking (represents 
               
               
                   
                 the “Golden Ratio” or “Phi”, meaning the symmetry of 
               
               
                   
                 the calyx braiding is identical). Finished buds or pistil- 
               
               
                   
                 late inflorescence range in size from 12-18 inches in 
               
               
                   
                 length on the primary branches with broken inter- 
               
               
                   
                 nodal buds continuing down the branches for 3-4 feet 
               
               
                   
                 toward the base of the plant with increased sparsity. 
               
               
                   
                 Finished buds range in color from light green (RHS 
               
               
                   
                 140C) to purple (RHS N74A). 
               
               
                 LEAF  
                 Each leaf is compound and contains either 7 or 9 leaflets 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 with very unique double serration at the leaf edges. The 
               
               
                 TION 
                 leaflets are semi-narrow with little separation at the base 
               
               
                   
                 and no overlap. The average leaf length is 6 inches, the 
               
               
                   
                 central leaflet average length is 7 inches, and the central 
               
               
                   
                 leaflet average width is 0.75 inch. The leaf surface texture 
               
               
                   
                 is rough on the top due to stiff hairs and both sides are 
               
               
                   
                 covered with sessile glands. The leaf fragrance is earthy 
               
               
                   
                 with a hint of sweetness. The upper leaf surface color is 
               
               
                   
                 strong green (RHS 132C) and the lower leaf surface color 
               
               
                   
                 is strong yellow green (RHS 142A). The venation pattern 
               
               
                   
                 is primarily palmate, and serrated leaflets express unique 
               
               
                   
                 double serration with a split vein to each serrated tip. 
               
               
                   
                 Branching is symmetrical with opposing internodes 
               
               
                   
                 and leaves firmly attached to the meristem. The petiole 
               
               
                   
                 has an average length of 1.6 inches and an average 
               
               
                   
                 diameter of 4 mm. The petiole trichome type is a sessile 
               
               
                   
                 gland with limited to no capitate head. The petiole 
               
               
                   
                 intensity of anthocyanin is medium, and the petiole color 
               
               
                   
                 is brilliant yellowish green (RHS 134C). The stipule is 
               
               
                   
                  1/16-⅛ of an inch in size, and narrow and needle- 
               
               
                   
                 like in shape. The stipule contains no visible tri- 
               
               
                   
                 chomes. The stipule color is brilliant yellow green 
               
               
                   
                 (RHS 142B). 
               
               
                 FLOWER 
                 The flowers when finished are large at 2-2.5 inches in 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 diameter on average, covered in trichomes or resin glands 
               
               
                 TION 
                 and of moderate density, making the plant better at shed- 
               
               
                   
                 ding water. As a result of the flower structure, the plant  
               
               
                   
                 has naturally above average mildew resistance. The 
               
               
                   
                 finished flower is highly resinous and pungently aromatic. 
               
               
                   
                 The appearance of the dried flower is sparkling with tri- 
               
               
                   
                 chomes. At maturity, the leafy parts of the flower (pri- 
               
               
                   
                 marily sugar leaves) remain green at the center with  
               
               
                   
                 mild purple hues at the leaf tips. The pistillate inflor- 
               
               
                   
                 escence are purple (RHS 186A) and the stigma remain 
               
               
                   
                 orange and white until maturity. The immature stigma 
               
               
                   
                 color is pale yellow green (RHS 149D), and the mature  
               
               
                   
                 stigma color is moderate orange yellow (RHS 164B). 
               
               
                   
                 The average length of the stigma is 4 mm. The flowering 
               
               
                   
                 season is May through October. 
               
               
                   
                 The average bract size is 1-1.5 cm, and the bract quantity 
               
               
                   
                 per flower is several dozen. The bract shape is oval, and 
               
               
                   
                 the bract trichome type is sessile. The bract color is 
               
               
                   
                 strong yellowish green (RHS 141C). The average brac- 
               
               
                   
                 teole size is 2-3 mm, and the bracteole quantity per 
               
               
                   
                 flower is 4-6. The bracteole has a sessile trichome type. 
               
               
                   
                 The bracteole shape is arrow-like, and the bracteole 
               
               
                   
                 color is brilliant green (RHS 128A). The average sugar 
               
               
                   
                 leaf size is 10 cm. The sugar leaf has both glandular and 
               
               
                   
                 non-glandular trichome types. The sugar leaf color is 
               
               
                   
                 strong yellowish green (RHS 141C). 
               
               
                 FRUIT  
                 The fruit type is pistillate inflorescence. The fruit shape is 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 a short and fat pear shape. The average size of the fruit is 
               
               
                 TION 
                 4.5 inches in diameter and 6 inches in length. The fruit 
               
               
                   
                 color is deep purplish red (RHS 61A). 
               
               
                 ROOT  
                 Short taproot from seed that is generally not deeper than 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 30 cm at maturity. There are dense subsurface lateral  
               
               
                 TION 
                 roots spreading out to 70 cm from the base of the plant. 
               
               
                 SEED  
                 The seeds are 2-2.5 mm long with a slightly oval shape 
               
               
                 DESCRIP- 
                 that has a depression at one end and a rounded point at 
               
               
                 TION 
                 the opposite end. The seeds are dark purple to black in 
               
               
                   
                 color without visible surface veins. The seed color of 
               
               
                   
                 testa is greyish yellow green (RHS 198A), and seed mar- 
               
               
                   
                 bling is medium. The average weight per 1000 seeds is 
               
               
                   
                 low (less than 10 grams). 
               
               
                 FRA- 
                 The finished pistillate inflorescences have a terpene pro- 
               
               
                 GRANCE/ 
                 file containing the strong smell of lemons with general 
               
               
                 TASTE 
                 citrus undertones. The stems when rubbed produce a 
               
               
                   
                 similar citrus aroma. 
               
               
                 GROWTH  
                 Annual, dioecious, erect herb. Naturally bushy and 
               
               
                 HABIT 
                 branching multi-top plant with an average internodal 
               
               
                   
                 spacing of 2.25 inches. 
               
               
                 DISEASE  
                 Naturally pest and disease resistant. Bred from pest, 
               
               
                 RESIS- 
                 pathogen, and virus free mother stock to reduce the 
               
               
                 TANCE 
                 potential for any predisposition for a virus or pathogen 
               
               
                   
                 to influence the genetic material. Also contains minor 
               
               
                   
                 quantities of the terpene Farnesene, which has been 
               
               
                   
                 shown in trials to be a natural pesticide. The plant has 
               
               
                   
                 shown resistance to the pests fall armyworm ( Spodoptera   
               
               
                   
                   ornithogalli ), two spotted spider mite ( Tetranychus   
               
               
                   
                   urticae ), and broad mite ( Polyphagotarsonemus latus ). 
               
               
                   
                 The plant is resistant to most common molds, including 
               
               
                   
                   Botrytis cinerea , and powdery mildews, such a s Podo - 
               
               
                   
                   sphaera xanthii . In addition, the plant has shown some 
               
               
                   
                 resistance to Hyphomycetes such as  Fusarium  spp. 
               
               
                 PRO- 
                 The plant is grown annually in a moderate climate with 
               
               
                 DUC- 
                 a growing season of 5 to 6 months. Over an average 
               
               
                 TIVITY 
                 growing summer, the plant will yield 1-2 lbs. of dried 
               
               
                   
                 plant material. Average time from planting to harvest is 
               
               
                   
                 4.5-5.5 months.  
               
               
                   
                 The shipping quality is high. The market use is for oil 
               
               
                   
                 production and smokable flower production. The storage  
               
               
                   
                 life is 3-6 months depending on storage climate. 
               
               
                 TEMPERA- 
                 Frost resistance down to 30° Fahrenheit as a young 
               
               
                 TURE TOL- 
                 sapling. Frost resistance down to 22° Fahrenheit as a 
               
               
                 ERANCE 
                 mature flowering plant 
               
               
                 GROWTH 
                 Outdoor: Annual from March to October. Indoor:  
               
               
                 CYCLE 
                 Photoperiod dependent vegetative cycle with an 
               
               
                   
                 approximate 60 day flowering cycle. 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     COMPARISON TO RELATED KNOWN CULTIVAR 
     ‘Eighty Eight’ is distinguished from ‘Painted Lady’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/602,561) in that the plant of ‘Eighty Eight’ is slightly shorter in height than the plant of ‘Painted Lady’. Further, the flowers of ‘Eighty Eight’ have internode spacing that is closer together, which provides the flowers with a shorter and more compact appearance than the flowers of ‘Painted Lady’. In addition, the overall color palette of ‘Eighty Eight’ is darker than the overall color palette of ‘Painted Lady’.