Tobacco Production Update

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Tobacco Production Update

• Bob Pearce, Gary Palmer, Andy Bailey
• Extension Tobacco Specialists
• Kenny Seebold
• Extension Plant Pathologist

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Topics

• Nitrogen sources for tobacco
• Revised nitrogen rates for tobacco
• Sucker control options
• No MH options
• Variety update
• Disease update

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Nitrogen Fertilizer Issues

• Economics
• Leaf prices down
• N fertilizer prices up
• Price tied to natural gas
• Transportation costs up
• Nitrosamine concerns
• Tobacco companies want less N applied
• Quality concerns
• Too little thin body, poor yield
• Too much delayed maturity, fat stems

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Ammonium Nitrate Issues

• Most common N source for tobacco growers
• Homeland security concerns
• Can be used to make explosives
• Easy availability
• Some manufacturing plants have closed
• Tighter supplies
• Higher costs
• Sales regulations
• Permits needed to purchase large quantity?
• Some dealers reluctant to stock?

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Alternative N Sources

• Anhydrous ammonia (82 N)
• Lowest cost per unit of N
• Limited availability
• Special equipment needed
• Stored as liquid under pressure
• Special injectors needed
• Used in illegal meth production
• Feasible only if equipment already available
• Placement concerns
• Delayed uptake
• Phyto-toxicity if close to plants

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Alternative N Sources

• Anhydrous ammonia (82 N)
• Reaction in soil
• NH3 H2O ? NH4 OH-
• Locally high pH after injection
• 2NH4 4O2 ? 4H 2NO3- 2H2O
• Same lime requirement as AN
• Suggestions for use
• Inject 4 to 6 inches deep
• 7 to 14 days before setting

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Alternative N Sources

• Ammonium sulfate (21 N)
• Specialty fertilizer
• Use on acid loving crops
• Use on high pH soils
• Relatively high cost per unit N
• Limited availability
• Soil reaction
• (NH4)2SO4 4O2 ? 4H 2NO3- SO42- 2H2O
• 3X lime requirement of AN
• Not feasible for large scale use on tobacco

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Alternative N Sources

• Urea (46 N)
• Intermediate cost
• Handling similar to ammonium nitrate
• Can impregnate some chemicals
• Same lime requirement as AN
• Converted to nitrate in the soil
• Subject to loss if surface applied
• Apply to dry soil
• Incorporate or water in
• Delayed uptake (Dont use for sidedress)
• Feasible alternative if managed properly

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Alternative N Sources

• Urea (46 N)
• Soil reaction
• CO(NH2)2 H 2H2O ? 2NH4 HCO3
• Locally high pH
• NH4 ? NH3? H
• 2NH4 4O2 ? 4H 2NO3- 2H2O
• Same lime requirement as AN

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Alternative N Sources

• Non Pressure Solutions (28 32 N)
• Intermediate cost
• Mixture of urea, ammonium nitrate, and water
• Relatively easy to transport, store, and apply
• Most nurse tanks
• Many types of sprayers
• Corrosive to equipment
• Should be incorporated
• Can be used as a carrier for spray applications
• Limited availability
• Feasible for tobacco production

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Alternative N Sources

• Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (27 N)
• CAN-27
• Ammonium nitrate mixed with lime
• 78 ammonium nitrate
• Theoretically similar to ammonium nitrate
• Can impregnate some chemicals ?
• Relatively high cost?
• Availability?
• Limited practical experience

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Alternative N Sources

• Sodium Nitrate (16 N)
• Calcium Nitrate (15.5 N)
• Sodium-Potassium Nitrate (15 N)
• Immediate uptake (good for sidedress)
• Good for low pH soils
• Erratic availability
• High cost
• Low analysis high transport cost

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Conversion to Nitrate in soil
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Effects of Ammonium Nitrate Application on Soil
pH
Anhydrous Ammonia, Urea, UAN solutions similar
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Effect of Liming an Acid Soil Prior to Use of
Urea and Sodium Nitrate Sources of Nitrogen
Both N sources applied at 225 lb N/A pre-plant.
Soil pH (water) measured at midseason of each
year. Soil pH before liming was 5.4.
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Effect of Liming an Acid Soil Prior to Use of
Urea and Sodium Nitrate Sources of Nitrogen
Both N sources applied at 225 lb N/A pre-plant.
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Nitrogen Source StudyHarrison Co. Keith Smith
Farm
100 units AN Broadcast Sidedressed with 170
units each, AN Ammonium Nitrate, U Urea, CN
Calcium Nitrate, SN Sodium Nitrate

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No-till Fertility TrialMonroe Co. Al Pedigo
Farm
Broadcast Sidedress
Number lbs of product, AN Ammonium Nitrate,
CN Calcium Nitrate, SN Sodium Nitrate, U
Urea
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Effects of Sidedressing Different Sources of
Nitrogen on Burley YieldElliot Co. Tracy D.
Kitchen Farm
450 Ammonium Nitrate Broadcast followed by 100
lb/a of Nitrogen Sidedressed. Am Ammonium, Ca
Calcium Na Sodium. There were no significant
differences.
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Revised Nitrogen Rates

• AGR-1 will have a new table for N on tobacco
• Based on crop history (same as old)
• No additional N for continuous tobacco
• Soil drainage formally considered
• Typical recommendation 50 lbs. N/A less
• Rate lower if sidedressing is practiced
• Economically sound recommendations
• Reduce incidence of overapplication

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Effects of Nitrogen Rates on Burley Tobacco at
Spindletop Farm (Maury Silt Loam)

• MacKown, Sutton and Crafts-Brander 1994

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If 1/3 or more is sidedressed reduce total amount
of N by 15 to 25 lbs./A
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Summary

• Encourage growers to compare costs and consider
  alternative N sources
• Revised N rates
• Rates lowered by about 50 lbs./A
• Will not significantly lower yield
• Improved quality
• Promotes desired chemical properties
• Reduce rate if sidedressing is practiced

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Sucker Control in Burley Tobacco with and without
MH
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Recommendations to Reduce MH Residue

• Reduce MH rate and add a local systemic
• 1.5 gal MH 0.5 gal Butralin, Flupro or Prime
• Use Coarse nozzles
• TG-3 or TG-5 full cone nozzles

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Application

• Coarse nozzles
• TG-5 / CE-5 or equivalent at 4-4.5 mph
• TG-3 / CE-3 or equivalent at 2.5-3 mph

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Effects of Application of MH by Coarse vs Fine
Nozzles on Yield of Burley Tobacco
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Influence of Sucker Control Across Four Location
on Burley Tobacco Yield
Locations Bath, Knox, Jackson Pendleton LSD
0.05 177
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Average MH Residues by State1997-2004
Limited sample numbers on all but KY and TN 2000
- 2004 values are from warehouse sales only
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Range of MH Residues in Kentucky for 1997 - 2004
Low lt 41, Medium 41-80, High 81-120, Very
High 120 - 200, Extremely High gt200 ppm
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Advantages - Disadvantages

• Higher yields
• Better returns
• Improved sucker control
• Lower MH residue
• Extended Control 5-7 wks
• Rain safety after 2 hrs
• Not as weather dependent
• No cover crop concern
• No ground sucker concern
• Improved grower confidence
• Produces darker cured leaf

• Higher Cost

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MH Free Tobacco (Mechanical application)
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MH Free Tobacco Trial
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MH Free Tobacco TrialObservations

• Fair to good control for first 10 to 14 days
• No difference between Prime , Butralin, or
  Flupro observed
• Escapes common at the top of plant
• Up to 2 or 3 suckers per plant
• Three nozzle arrangement slightly better
• Must be kept directly over the row
• Poor control when off row

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Successful Methods

• Hand
• Jug method
• Backpack
• High Clearance Sprayer
• Drop Lines

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Burley Variety Update
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Burley Tobacco Variety TrialAcross 5 Locations
4 Grades
Locations Menifee, Taylor, Trimble(2) Wayne
Counties
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Percentage of Tobacco Stripped into Each Grade
from 5 Locations
Locations Menifee, Taylor, Trimble(2) Wayne
Counties
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Yield Ranking of Varieties for Each of 11 Trials
Locations Bath, Elliot, Henry (2), Lincoln,
Menifee, Spencer, Taylor, Trimble (2) Wayne
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KT 204

• Advantages
• Resistance
• Good Black Shank Resistance
• Black Root Rot
• Virus Complex
• Blue mold tolerance
• Yield (3400)
• Comparison to KT 200
• Not as late
• Not as dark green in field (Curing)
• Stalk size smaller
• Disadvantages
• Slow growth early
• Drought Tolerance?
• Black Shank resistance under stress?

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NC 6

• Advantages
• High Yield (3400)
• Good disease package
• High resistance to Race 0 Black Shank
• Black Root Rot
• Virus Complex
• Southern root knot nematode
• Disadvantages
• Low resistance to Race 1 Black Shank
• No Fusarium Wilt resistance
• Other
• Dark green color in field

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NC 7

• Advantages
• Resistance
• Black shank
• Race 0 High
• Race 1 Moderate to Low
• Black root rot
• Fusarium wilt
• Tobacco mosaic virus
• Wildfire
• Unique resistance
• Root knot nematode
• Tobacco cyst nematode
• Disadvantages
• Not know

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NC 2002

• Advantages
• Blue mold resistant
• Better yield than NC 2000
• Well suited to areas with consistent blue mold
  incidence
• Disadvantages
• Poor disease package