Pesticide residues on tobacco have received increasing attention in recent years. While pesticide residue evaluations have been conducted for many years in tobacco, recent legislation granting the Food and Drug Administration regulatory oversight of tobacco products has brought the need to determine expected residues from pesticides used in tobacco production into focus. As part of an ongoing program at North Carolina State University, several pesticides are evaluated over a three-year period. The objective of the research is to establish the maximum expected residues on cured leaf that would result from a maximum labeled application and minimum pre-harvest interval (PHI).

Residues of four pesticides (bifenthrin, chlorantraniliprole, clothianidine, and flubendiamide) were measured on flue-cured tobacco at two locations in North Carolina in 2010 and 2011. Each product was applied according to maximum usage and minimum PHI according to the current or most recent US label. Treatments were applied to flue-cured tobacco grown on research stations near Rocky Mount, NC and Kinston, NC. Tobacco was managed according to Extension recommendations and harvested four times by stalk positions. Cured leaf pesticide residues were determined by Global Laboratories in Wilson, NC.

The presentation will summarize the testing results from 2010 and 2011.