Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide
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2017-2018 Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide A cooperative effort of the University of Kentucky; The University of Tennessee; Virginia Tech; and NC State University 436-050 PB 1782 ID-160 Contents Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Competing in a Global Marketplace .....................................................................................................2 Selecting Burley Tobacco Varieties ........................................................................................................3 Disease resistance ratings of burley varieties (Table 3) ........................................................5 Choosing Dark Tobacco Varieties ..........................................................................................................7 Disease resistance ratings of dark varieties (Table 1) ............................................................7 Management of Tobacco Float Systems ..............................................................................................10 Insects in float systems ..................................................................................................................16 Diseases in float systems ...............................................................................................................18 Field Selection and Soil Preparation .................................................................................................... 22 Weed Management .................................................................................................................................... 26 Fertilization ................................................................................................................................................... 29 Disease Management ................................................................................................................................ 32 Insect Pest Management .......................................................................................................................... 39 Topping and Sucker Control Management ...................................................................................... 42 Harvest Management for Burley and Dark Tobacco ..................................................................... 49 Facilities and Curing .................................................................................................................................. 50 Stripping and Preparation of Tobacco for Market .......................................................................... 56 Update on Burley Harvest and Stripping Mechanization ........................................................... 60 TSNAs in Burley and Dark Tobacco ................................................................................................... 62 Safety and Health in Tobacco Production ......................................................................................... 66 Appendix I Worker Protection Standard (WPS) updates ........................................................... 70 Appendix II: Some Generic Insecticides by Active Ingredient ................................................. 72 Authors University of Kentucky Virginia Tech University Bob Pearce, Editor David Reed Andy Bailey, Co-Editor Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences Lowell Bush, J.D. Green, Anne Jack, Chuck Johnson Edwin Ritchey, Bob Miller Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science Plant and Soil Sciences North Carolina State University Emily Pfeufer Plant Pathology Loren Fisher, Matthew Vann, Scott Whitley Crop Science Will Snell Agricultural Economics Hannah Burrack Entomology Lee Townsend Entomology Lindsey Thiessen Plant Pathology Mark Purschwitz, Larry Swetnam Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering cover photo: Jeff Graybill, Penn State Extension University of Tennessee Eric Walker, Co-Editor Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute Neil Rhodes an endorsement and does not imply approval to the Plant Sciences exclusion of other suitable products or firms. Introduction Bob Pearce, Andy Bailey, and Eric Walker urley and dark tobacco growers in the U.S. make hundreds The written U.S. Tobacco GAP guidelines often refer growers Bof decisions every growing season that impact the yield and to “University Tobacco Production Guides” for specific recom- quality of the crops that they produce. These decisions may mendations regarding management decisions. The informa- include choosing appropriate varieties, planning effective pest tion and recommendations provided in this guide have been control measures, or perhaps deciding the best time to top or developed and reviewed by tobacco production specialists and harvest a crop. Increasingly, tobacco growers are being required scientists at the University of Kentucky, University of Tennessee, by the industry to record and justify their management deci- Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State University. The purpose sions and actions. The most comprehensive example of this is of this multi-state guide is to provide all burley and dark tobacco the U.S. Tobacco Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program growers with the most up-to-date, research-based recommenda- that was initiated during the 2013 growing season and con- tions for the production of high-yielding, high-quality tobacco. tinues annually. In this program, all growers who sell tobacco The guide provides advice on industry-accepted practices that to GAP Connections member organizations are required to may be applied across the burley and dark tobacco growing attend training sessions on the principals of GAP and to keep regions, although in some cases, growers may be referred to detailed records of their production practices. Training re- their local extension offices for additional information relevant quirements may change, but growers are currently required to to their specific situation. attend training every season in which they plan to sell tobacco. Additional information about U.S. Tobacco GAP can be found GAP Connection 2450 E.J. Chapman Drive by contacting GAP Connections using the contact information Knoxville, TN 37996-001 provided below. Office: 865.622.4606 Fax: 865.622.4550 email: [email protected] Website: http://www.gapconnections.com/ Competing in a Global Marketplace Will Snell .S. tobacco producers face a lot of challenges in today’s mar- become increasingly important given the growing dependency Uketing environment. Consequently, it is vital that producers on global markets. Plus, given the increasing concentration in attempt to gain any competitive advantage they can acquire in the number of buyers in today’s global tobacco marketplace, combating the challenges from international competitors and tobacco companies have an enhanced degree of market power an overall declining marketplace. in establishing prices and controlling production practices, Historically, U.S. tobacco producers competed primarily on especially in response to increasing regulation on tobacco price and quality. U.S. tobacco has always been viewed as the products and changing demands of consumers. In years with best quality tobacco produced in the world due to its taste and excess demand, tobacco leaf prices will be relatively higher aromas. However, the U.S. quality advantage has narrowed in with limited variation, and non-contract growers and auction recent decades with improved production practices overseas markets can survive and often do particularly well irrespective and as tobacco manufacturers have been able to utilize a of leaf quality. Alternatively, in years when the global leaf sup- higher volume of lower quality leaf in their blends. Plus, a new ply is greater than demand, tobacco prices will tend to fall, be generation of tobacco products have been introduced in the very volatile, and be vulnerable to lower quality leaf, especially marketplace with different composition of ingredients. lower quality leaf that is sold outside the contracting system. Price, of course, remains a critical factor in determining While price is still the single most critical factor in determin- purchasing decisions by tobacco companies. During the early ing competitiveness, today’s buying segment is looking more at years of the federal tobacco program, U.S. tobacco growers had “value,” which of course includes both price and quality of leaf pricing power given its quality advantage and limited foreign but also some intangible factors referred to as social responsibil- competition. But over the years of the tobacco program, U.S. ity. Today’s tobacco companies are being challenged on many policymakers had to adjust federal price supports and other fronts given the health risks associated with their products along policy variables to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. leaf in with the general public’s perception of the industry. In response domestic and global markets. to critics, tobacco companies are attempting (or perhaps being Today, without the support of a federal tobacco program, regulated) to be more transparent about their products and the level and variability of prices are determined by the tobacco focusing on issues of their contract growers such as child labor manufacturers and dealers based on current supply and demand and various environmental issues. In reality, today’s tobacco conditions for tobacco products and