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CORESTA Meeting, Agronomy/Phytopathology, 2021, Online, AP 44

Development of production recommendations for Connecticut Broadleaf cigar wrapper tobacco in Kentucky and Tennessee

BAILEY W.A.; RODGERS J.C.; KEENEY A.B.; PERKINS C.H.; WITCHER V.F.
University of Kentucky, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Research & Education Center, Princeton, KY, U.S.A.

Leaf dealers have recently expressed interest in expanding production of Connecticut Broadleaf cigar wrapper tobacco into Kentucky and Tennessee. In an effort to develop production recommendations for Connecticut Broadleaf grown in Kentucky and Tennessee, basic agronomic field trials were conducted at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center in Princeton, Kentucky, in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Trials included a nitrogen rate trial, a variety trial, and a fungicide trial in 2019-2020, and a larger fungicide trial and lower leaf removal/topping height trial in 2021. Nitrogen rates of 84, 112, 140, 168, 196, 224, and 252 kg N Ha-1 were evaluated in 2019 and 2020. Nitrogen source was ammonium nitrate with 84 kg N Ha-1 applied broadcast prior to transplanting and the remainder applied as sidedress applications at 2 weeks after transplanting. Highest percent wrapper grades were generally found from nitrogen rates of 168 to 196 kg N Ha-1. In the variety trial, varieties evaluated included ‘A1’, ‘B1’, ‘B2’, ‘D1’, ‘D2’ from the breeding efforts of the Connecticut Valley Experiment Station, compared to two selections of the commercial standard ‘C33’. Highest total yield and percent wrapper was seen from ‘B2’, ‘D2’, and the selections of ‘C33’. In a fungicide trial, treatment comparisons included no foliar fungicides applied, azoxystrobin (144 g ai Ha-1) applied at layby (4 weeks after transplanting), or azoxystrobin at layby followed by mancozeb (1.68 kg ai Ha-1) 10 days later followed by azoxystrobin at topping. Total yield and percent wrapper increased as the number of fungicide applications increased. Treatments that included the most frequent fungicide applications reduced, but did not totally eliminate, the occurrence of the “greenspot” phase of frogeye leafspot (Cercosporea nicotianae) in cured leaf of Connecticut Broadleaf.