Grower's Guide

2013

Scroll through the Table of Contents below to browse the major sections of the 2013 Georgia Tobacco Grower's Guide.

Or, use the links to jump to a specific section of the guide. All files are in PDF file format.

View the complete 2013 Grower's Guide

Tobacco Outlook and Budgets

Introduction to the 2013 Georgia Tobacco Budgets
- Bulk Barn, Hand Harvested Budget
- Bulk Barn, Machine Harvested Budget
Estimated Labor and Machinery Costs per Acre - Hand Harvest - 2013
Estimated Labor and Machinery Costs per Acre - Mechanical Harvest - 2013
Returns Above Variable Costs for Hand Harvested
- Flue Cured Tobacco, Various Yields and Contract Prices - 2013
Returns Above Variable Costs for Mechanical Harvested
- Flue Cured Tobacco, Various Yields and Contract Prices - 2013
Farm Labor Management
Employee or Independent Contractor
Employer Responsibilities
Social Security and Medicare Taxes
Georgia New Hire Reporting Program
Employment Taxes and Deposits
Georgia Income Tax
Unemployment Taxes
Migrant and Seasonal Labor
H-2A Program Workers

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2016 Tobacco Variety Information

New Varieties for 2016
Variety Selection
2016 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Evaluation
Official Flue-Cured Variety Test - 2016 Yield, Value Indices, Quality and Agronomic Characteristics of Released Varieties
Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Released Varieties Evaluation in the 2016 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Test
Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Varieties Evaluated in the 2016 Regional Variety Farm Test

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2014 Tobacco Variety Information

New Varieties for 2014
Variety Selection
2013 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Evaluation
Official Flue-Cured Variety Test - 2013 Yield, Value Indices, Quality and Agronomic Characteristics of Released Varieties
Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Released Varieties Evaluation in the 2013 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Test
Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Varieties Evaluated in the 2013 Regional Variety Farm Test
Released Variety Demonstration - Dicks Farm, Columbia Co., FL

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2013 Tobacco Variety Information

New Varieties for 2013
Variety Selection
2012 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Evaluation
Official Flue-Cured Variety Test - 2010 Yield, Value Indices, Quality and Agronomic Characteristics of Released Varieties
Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Released Varieties Evaluation in the 2012 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Test
Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Varieties Evaluated in the 2012 Regional Variety Farm Test
Disease Resistance of Selected Released Tobacco Varieties
Pedigree, Year of Release and Sponsor of Selected Varieties
Released Varieties 2012, Dicks Farm, Columbia County, Florida

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Production of Bare Root Tobacco Transplants

Production Program for Bare Root Transplants
Plant Bed Problems
- Drainage
- Cover Management
- Irrigation
Plant Bed Fertilization
- Nitrogen Source
- Yellow Plants
Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)
Plant Bed Fumigation and Disease Control
Plant Bed Insect Control
- Plant Bed Insect Control Chemicals
Plant Bed Mechanization
- Bed Preparation
- Planter or Seeder
- Seed Spacing
- Clipping Tobacco Plant Beds
- Field Performance of Clipped Plants
- Clipping Procedure
- Harvesting
- Bed Clipping Practices in Relation to Seedling Diseases

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Transplant Production in the Float System

Consider the Materials
Analyze the Water Source and Manage Alkalinity
Select a High-Quality Growing Medium
Consider Tray Design
Promote Uniform Emergence
- Fill and Seed Trays Uniformly
- Manage Spiral Rooting
- Causes of Spiral Rooting
- Primed Seeds
- Provide a Warm Temperature
- Promote Uniform Growth
- Monitor and Manage Fertilizer Salts in the Growing Medium
- Fertilize Properly
  - Monitoring Waterbed Fertility Levels
  - Nitrogen
    - Effect of Urea Concentration in the Fertilizer on Seedling Stem Length, Fresh Weight and Dry Weight, 1994
- Phosphorus
- Fertilizer Effects on Waterbed pH
- Sulfur
- Boron
- Organic Fertilization
- Calculation of Water Volume
- Calculating Parts Per Million
Clip Properly
Greenhouse Disease Control
Greenhouse Insect Control
- Cultural Controls
- Chemical Control
- Transplant Water Fertilizers
Determining Plant Number Per Acre

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Fertilization

Nutrient Uptake by Tobacco
Soil Testing
Interpreting Soil Test Recommendations
Phosphorus and Potassium Recommendations Based on Soil Test Ratings
Liming (pH, Calcium and Magnesium)
Nitrogen (N)
Base Nitrogen Rate
Recommended Base Nitrogen Rates for Tobacco Based on Topsoil Depth
Leaching Adjustments
- Nitrogen Adjustments for Leaching Losses
Phosphorus and Potassium
Secondary Nutrients
Micronutrients
Timing
Starters
2006 Bowen Farm Transplant Water-Fertilizer/Starter Test

Fertilizer Application Calibration

Calibration for Application of Dry Fertilizer
Band Application
Calibration Distances for Various Row and Outlet Spacings or Band Widths

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Irrigating Tobacco

Benefits/Risks of Irrigation
Tobacco Growth Stages and Water Needs
Determining When to Irrigate
- Water Holding Capacity
- Water Loss and Use
Determining How Much Water to Apply
- Infiltration Rate of Soils
- Irrigation Scheduling
Water Quality
- Disease
- Salts in Irrigation Water
Other Production Practices in Relation to Irrigation
Irrigation Equipment
Drip Irrigation
Moisture Use by Tobacco
Proper Use of Tensiometers

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Weed Management

Knowledge of the Pest
Crop Rotation Practices
Control Methods
- Tillage and Cultivation
- Chemical
Tobacco Weed Control Alternatives
Tobacco Weed Response to Herbicides

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Tobacco Disease Control

Crop Rotation
Nitrogen Management
Plant Spacing
Early Stalk and Root Destruction
Varieties
Common Tobacco Diseases and Various Control Practices
- Blue Mold
  - Blue Mold Control
Black Shank
- Use Rotation
- Chemical Control of Black Shank
- Foliar Applications of Ridomil Gold/Ultra Flourish for Black Shank Control are Illegal and Useless
- Use Resistant Varieties
  - Back-up Any Resistant Variety with a Sound Mefenoxam Program
Brown Spot
Fusarium Wilt
Soreshin
Target Spot
Angular Leafspot
Granville (Bacterial) Wilt
Hollow Stalk (soft rot, barn rot)
Tobacco Etch Virus (TEV) and Potato Virus Y (PVY)
Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)
- Spotted Wilt Management
- Transplant Date
- Admire 2F/Platinum (T-Moxx 25C)
- Application of Admire (Imidacloprid) in Plant House
- Application of Admire (Imidacloprid) in Transplant Water
- Actigard 50WG
- Acquiring a Label for Actigard 50WG Use Control of TSWV with an Actigard/Admire
- Imidacloprid) Program TSWV Management Plan for Tobacco

Root-Knot Nematode

Crop Rotation
Nematode Sampling
Root Examination
Root-Knot Nematode Species Identification
Root-Knot Nematode Chemical Control
Fumigant Nematicides
Resistant Varieties

Soil Fumigation Equipment

Compatible Materials
Suppliers of Equipment
Calibration and Orifice Selection
Maintaining Equipment

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Insects on Tobacco

Soil Insects
- Wireworms
- Mole Crickets
- Cutworms
Control of Soil Insects in Tobacco Prior to Transplanting
Control of Soil Insects in Tobacco at Transplanting
Tobacco Insect Management Program
- Scouting the Field
- Taking Samples
- Inspecting Plants
- Treatment Thresholds for Various Insects
Major Foliage Feeding Insects of Tobacco
- Tobacco Budworms
- Hornworms
- Aphids
- Flea Beetles
- Tobacco Splitworms
- Efficacy of Two New Insecticides: Coragen and Durivo for control of Tobacco Budworm
Control of Foliar Insects on Field Tobacco

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Premature Flowering Management

Topping and Chemical Sucker Control Programs for Georgia

Production of Tops and Suckers
Benefits of Topping and Suckering
Topping
Topping Height
Topping Time and Yield
Chemical Topping
Topping Plants Under Stress
Chemical Sucker Control
- Contacts
- Systemics
- Contact-Localized-Systemics
Topping and Chemical Sucker Control Programs
Minimize MH Residues
Points to Aid in Minimizing MH Residue
Mean MH Residues for Flue-Cured Tobacco by Belt and Year
2012 Regional Tobacco Growth Regulator Test, Effects of Advanced Growth Regulating Material on Sucker Growth, Cured Leaf Yields, and Value of Flue-Cured Tobacco
Tobacco Sucker Control Chemicals
Yellowing Agent for Flue-Cured Tobacco

Applying Contacts and Systemics for Sucker Control

Suggested Spray Nozzles for Application of Contacts and Systemics

Calibration Method for Hydraulic Boom and Band Sprayers and Other Liquid Applicators

Calibration for Application of Herbicide, Insecticides, Nematicides, Fungicides, or Liquid Fertilizers
Calibration Distances for Various Row Spacings or Band Widths
Calculating Band Application Volume
Calculating Formulation Requirements for Active Ingredient Rates

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Harvesting and Curing Equipment Maintenance

Harvesters
Curing Barn
Loading Doors
Foundation
Curing Chamber and Furnace Room Areas
Insulation

Harvesting and Curing

Flue-Cured Stalk Positions
Harvest Only Mature, Ripe Leaves
When to Harvest
Container Loading
Guide for Bulk Curing
- Starting Up
- Yellowing
- Wilting
- Leaf Drying
- Stem Drying
Bulk Curing Schedule for Normal, Ripe Tobacco

Deviations in Cured Tobacco

Immature and Slick
Green
Sponged
Toady
Moisture Run Back
Barn Scald
Swelled Stem

Energy Efficient Curing Practices Ordering Tobacco

Number of Hollow Cone Nozzles Required to Order a Bulk Barn of Tobacco

Retrofitting Tobacco Curing Barns

Older Barns
Making Your Own Retrofit
Considerations for Selecting the Right Retrofit for Your Barns
- Fuel Type
- Heat Exchanger Composition
- Airflow
- Heating System Efficiency
- Energy Efficiency of the Burner
- Energy Efficiency of the Heat Exchanger
- Curing Efficiency
Careful Installation is Important
Curing Problems
Detecting Heat Exchanger Leaks
How Do I Find Cracks?