Tobacco Farmer Newsletter

February II 2021

A greenhouse in Kentucky from a past season. File photo courtesy of BTGCA.

HOW TO GROW THE BEST PLANTS YOU CAN

Don’t pre-charge your floatbeds with NPK materials, says Mat-thew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “That action greatly increases the potential for soluble salts injury in newly emerged seedlings,” he says. ”We recommend that the first application of NPK fertilizer be incorporated into the float water about seven to 10 days after trays are floated. Typically, this allows for sufficient seed germination and a small amount of seedling growth just before the influx of fertilizer salts reaches the upper third of the cells in each tray.”

Maintain the temperature in your greenhouses at 68 and 86 degrees F during germination. Once maximum germination is obtained, you can lower the minimum temperature to as low as 55 degrees. Thermometer placement is also important: Having an accurate reading of the air temperature closest to the plant is in your best interest. For more information, go to tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu and find "From the Field - Agronomy Notes: Vol. 5, Num. 1."

There’s reason to fear outbreaks of Pythium in greenhouse plants, says Matthew Inman, South Carolina tobacco Extension specialist. “Be proactive about controlling Pythium,” says Inman, who commented on the disease in the January I issue of TFN. "Terramaster is about the only chemical option." For flue-cured, apply Terramaster three to four weeks after seeding just as the roots emerge from the tray bottoms, according to the label.

A sequential preventive application of Terramaster can be made three weeks after the first treatment, the label says, but no treatment should be made later than eight weeks after seeding.

At least 90 percent of S.C. greenhouses had been seeded as of Friday, says Inman.

Best case, worst case: What is the best outcome we could hope for and the worst outcome we could fear relative to flue-cured contracts? In a presentation on flue-cured outlook on January 25, Blake Brown, N.C. Extension economist, said:

The worst case might be if China elects not to resume purchases from the U.S. and the European Union tariff problem is not resolved. Contracted pounds could be expected to decline again.
In a middle case, if the EU tariff is not resolved but China resumes purchases and non-EU buyers increase purchases of U.S. tobacco as EU bids tobacco away in other markets, the net effect on contracted pounds could be an increase in contracted pounds.
In the best case, if China resumes purchases and the EU tariff situation is resolved, then we could look at a bigger increase in contracted pounds.

How burley found it's place in the modern tobacco industry: "It's great absorptive qualities gave it a special place in tobacco products, and from the time the near mythical Camel cigarette was born of burley, bright and Oriental tobaccos, burley has provided its growers with a dependable source of farm income for centuries." From The Bluegrass and Beyond, a book by Christopher Bickers, editor of TFN, and Billy Yeargin. Copies are still available. To obtain one, send $20 plus $8 shipping and handling to 7413 Six Forks Rd., #126, Raleigh NC 27615. Ques-tions? Call me at 919 789 4631 or email me at chrisbickers@ gmail. com.

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Welcome to the February II, 2021, issue of Tobacco Farmer Newsletter. The last two issues have been a little behind schedule because of some health issues the editor experienced a month ago. But everything is back on track now. Watch for the March I issue in about a week. By the way, if you haven't signed on to receive the newsletter regularly, please email your subscription request to TFN at chrisbickers@gmail.com. Include phone number and your affiliation with tobacco, such as farmer, buyer, dealer or Extension agent.