Microbial communities and their role in enhancing hemp fiber quality through field retting

The current development of industrial hemp “Cannabis Sativa L.” fibers for technical textiles and industrial applications requires high-quality fibers with homogeneous properties. However, several factors have been reported to influence the fibers’ intrinsic properties, including a post-harvest process known as retting. This process plays a crucial role in facilitating the mechanical extraction of fibers from hemp stems. Retting involves the degradation of the amorphous components surrounding the fiber bundles enabling their decohesion from stems. Microorganisms play a central role in mediating this bioprocess. During retting, they colonize the stems’ surface. Therefore, the biochemical components of plant cell wall, acting as natural binding between fibers, undergo a breakdown through the production of microbial enzymes. Although its critical role, farmers often rely on empirical retting practices, and considering various biotic and abiotic factors, resulting in fibers with heterogenous properties. These factors limit the industrial applications of hemp fibers due to their inconsistent properties. Thus, the purpose of this review is to enhance our comprehension of how retting influences the dynamics of microbial communities and, consequently, the evolution of the biochemical properties of hemp stems throughout this process. Better understanding of retting is crucial for effective process management, leading to high-value fibers. KEY POINTS: • Retting enables degradation of cell wall components, controlling fiber properties. • Microbial enzymatic activity is crucial for successful decohesion of fiber bundles. • Understanding retting mechanisms is essential for consistent fiber production.