Growing Burley Tobacco in a Post Buyout Environment

Growing Burley Tobacco in a Post Buyout Environment Dr. Gary Palmer Dr. Bob Pearce Dr. Andy Bailey University of Kentucky

Good Agricultural Practices Produced in a timely manner u Good management essential n Use of agronomically sound practices n Economically viable returns u High yield per acre n Reduce Environmental Impact of Production n

What Will the Term Quality Mean? n Desirable for buyer u Contracted amount supplied u Cured properly u Free of foreign material u Low in undesirable elements t Nornicotine t Nitrosamines t nitrate & nitrites t Low pesticide residue • No unlabeled pesticides • No excessive residues of labeled chemicals

Timely Production n Seeding so that plants will be ready to set on time u Watch weather reports to reduce gas expense u Plants ready 7 to 9 weeks after seeding Controlling environment to minimize temperature & disease related damage Disease prevention u To reduce delays u To improve transplant quality February March April May

Transplant on time n n n Can improve yield Reduce disease incidence u Blue mold u Virus complex Some curing concerns What’s the difference between a good farmer and a bad farmer?

Burley Tobacco Variety Trial Across 7 Locations – 4 Grades Locations: Clinton, Henry, Taylor (3), Trimble & Wayne Counties

Varieties Will Be Screened Varieties may have some plants in the population that produce a high amount of nornicotine (Converters) amount of nornicotine ( n Nornicotine may lead to NNN (Nitrosonornicotine): one of the tobacco specific nitrosamines n By cleaning up the variety so that most plants have a low level, NNN will develop at only a low level n

How Do We Know If the Variety is Screened? “LC” varieties u KT 204 LC, KT 200 LC, TN 97 LC, u TN 90 LC, TN 86 LC, KY 907 LC n “Produced from screened parents” n Exceptions u KY 14 x L 8, KY 14, KY 17 (Available in 2006) u Some private varieties n

Some Varieties Will Be Dropped n n Screening is expensive and older varieties would cost too much for upkeep Good alternatives are available to replace most older varieties u A good disease package will be essential u 14 x L 8 t High management t Tendency to initiate suckers early u KY 907 t Lodging & quality u TN 86 t Quality

Nitrogen Use n Optimum levels Soil Level of N Lbs. N/ac t. High 150 -200 t. Medium 200 -250 t. Low 250 -300 u Can we grow high yield tobacco at 200 to 250?

Effects of Nitrogen Rates on Burley Tobacco at Spindletop Farm

Effects of Nitrogen Rates on Burley Tobacco 18 Locations over 15 years “Low” N soils are the exception not the rule!

Nitrogen Changes in Competing Countries n Brazil u Changes t Rate • From 300 kg/ha (270 lbs. /A) • To 160 kg/ha (145 lbs. /A) t Type • From Ammonium Nitrate & Urea • To Soda Potash (100% Nitrate)

Nitrosamine levels from different N sources Jackson Co. – Ron Madden Farm Lamina Mid-rib Broadcast Sidedress Number = lbs of product, AN = Ammonium Nitrate, CN = Calcium Nitrate, SN = Sodium Nitrate

Disease Management n n n Crop Rotation Prevention Conservation Tillage u Utilization of disease free land u Reduce erosion u Reduce fuel use

Terramaster for pythium control

Blue Mold q. Preventative q Acrobat q. Actigard q. Avoid q Shade q. Low wet areas q. Infected Transplants Black Shank: q Rotation q Resistant Varieties q Ridomil q Sanitation

Influence of Insecticide Treatments on Burley Yield Boyle Co - Wesley Pruitt Farm P=Platinum, A=Admire, O=Orthene #=fl oz/a except Orthene in lb/a, Trans = Transplant water, Drenched plants were treated prior to transplanting

Controlling Red Aphids

Pesticide Concerns Illegal pesticides u Could void contract n Indiscriminant use of labeled pesticides u Endosulfan (Golden Leaf) u MH n

Recommended Sucker Control 1. 5 gal MH +. 5 gal of either Prime+ or Butralin n Coarse Nozzles u TG-3 if tractor mounted sprayer or high clearance sprayer in rough terrain u TG-5 if high clearance on level ground n

Consistent Supply

Burley Crop Estimate 2004 Taken from Agricultural Statistics Data Base (October 2004) Area, Yield, and Production, Commodity Year State Harvested acre Yield Production pounds 1000 lbs Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 IN 4600 2050 8815 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 KY 105000 210000 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 MO 1400 2600 3640 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 NC 5300 1450 7685 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 OH 5800 1900 11020 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 TN 25000 1900 47500 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 VA 6000 1850 11100 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 WV 1300 1500 1950 Burley Tobacco (Type 31) 2004 US 154100 1958 301710

Topping n n n Top can vary by company u May change in the future Top to 23 -24 leaves u For companies looking for more tips Topping height can influence other factors u Leaf spread u Cured leaf color u Root development t Nicotine levels u Disease incidence

Harvest mature tobacco u u u Usually at 4 weeks after topping Weather may delay Late maturing varieties may need more time Harvest date Yield Quality

Harvest Problems Avoid Green n Sunburn n Mud n Rough Handling n

Curing Burley Tobacco

Curing Problem Low humidity/high temperature u Drying, not a cure n Low humidity/satisfactory temperature u Variegated, piebald or green tobacco n Low or high humidity/low temperature u Green tobacco n High humidity/high temperature u House burn, microbial growth and excessive weight loss n

What Kind of Curing Facility • Inefficient labor use • Construction expense • Long term investment • Other uses • Slow change in conditions • Forced ventilation? • Nitrosamines? • Efficient • Inexpensive • Limited lifetime • Not for storage • Daily cycle of conditions • Nitrosamines ? • Improved color?

Market Prep & Storage n n n Wait till cure is complete u No fat stems Avoid u High moisture u High pressure during baling u Non-tobacco related material Storage u Minimal amount of time u Avoid plastic u Provide ventilation Close supervision of stripping crew?