CS Tobacco Exam

why tobacco

smoke and nicotine

what is nicotine

plants in the genus nicotiana are the only ones that produce it in large quantities

less than one millionth the concentration of tobacco

Where is nicotine produced

Produced in tobacco root tips

then is moved to be stored in the leaves

by default, larger root systems will produce more nicotine

Factors impacting % nicotine

Leaf yeild

yeild goes up= nicotine does down

yeild goes down= nicotine goes up

Nitrogen application

higher nitrogen= higher nicotine

lower nitrogen = lower nicotine

Dark color (gold/orange)

indicates higher nicotine and lower sugar

lemon (yellow) colored

higher in sugar and lower in nicotine

Dominat types of tobacco

flue-cured= cured with heat

Burley= air-cured

Oriental

Dark-fire

American blend cigarette

25-30% flue

25-30% burley

6-10% oriental

3-10% cut rolled stem

18-25% reconstituted

Virgina Blend

No burley

Tobacco facts

produced on over 10.1 million acres in 2021

grown in over 140 countries

over 17 billion pounds grown in 2021

Crop management

Greenhouses are seeded from early to mid febuary to mid march

55-60 days to produce a transplant

float system that contains trays (filled with soiless media, seaded, then floated)

plants are clipped 15-25 times on average

Feild preparation

Crop rotation to reduce pest and soil building aspects

apply fumigants, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides

soil tillage

create raised beds

Transplanting

begins around april 15-20 and ends in late may

row spacing

5,500-6,500 flue plants per acre

water applied in furrow via transplanter

other fertilizers and pesticides can be applied in transplant beds

Cultivation and Fertilizer Application

improves weed control, continually builds a raised bed, reduces soil crusting, sidedress fertilization application around 10 days after transplanting

last cultivation and fertilizer application 4-6 weeks after transplanting (layby)

Topping and Sucker Control

60-80 days after transplanting

flower is removed

average 20-22 leaves left

Sucker control chemicals applied

fatty alchol, flumetralin, butralin, maletic hydrazide

Flue Cured Harvesting and Curing

first harvest is about 80 days after transplanting

4-7 leaves removed (start at bottom)

3-5 harvests per season over the next 50-75 days

frost free period in NC is late april

Bulk Curing

box barn around 10 acres per barn

rack barn around 7 acres

7-8 days to cure to 0 moisture

Once cured, moisture is added back so it can be handled (14-16%)

baled in 650-850 lb bales

Calculating water volumn

(length of bed x widthx desired amount of water) x 7.48

Heating the greenhouse

Heat is added to promote seed germination and growth

Space heater is most commonly used

usually placed at one or both ends of the house, connect to the thermostat to ensure temp. is met

Sanitization (pre-season)

ensure that the greenhouse is free of mice and insects

remove weeds both inside and outside of greenhouse

be careful using chemicals around the outside of the greenhouse

DO NOT use herbicides in the greenhouse

Water source

Use well water if possible other water may contain disease

have a source water anaylzed on a regualr basis b/4 season begins

Tray selection

Styrofoam trays are most common

around 13×26

as cell number increases, the number of plants increases, but the root volumn and growing space decreases

trays can be reused if properly cleaned/sanitized (steam)

temperature control

ideal germination for tobacoo seeds is 68 degrees at night and 86 degrees during the day

once germination has happened temperatures can be lowered

heat injury can occur

Most important element

Nitrogen

management before the season

Bicarbonate levels are typically high in water from easter NC, adding vinegar and battery acid can lower them

Nitrogen

seedling production requires 250 ppm, split application

DO NOT use Urea

when to apply nitrogen

apply 100 ppm of N 7-10 days after seeding

apply the other 150 about 4 weeks after seeding

Other compounds needed

Phosphurus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfer, Boron