Crop Profile for Tobacco in North Carolina

Prepared: January, 1999

Revised: December, 2015

General Production Information

• North Carolina produces two styles of tobacco, flue-cured and burley.

• North Carolina ranks first in production of flue-cured tobacco, raising about
77 percent of the U.S. total in 20151.
• North Carolina ranks sixth in the production of burley tobacco, growing
approximately 1,400 acres in 20151.
• Gross income from tobacco production in North Carolina was over $911
million in 20142.
• The gross value of tobacco averages around $4,715 per acre and can reach
nearly $7,000 per acre2.
• Typical production costs for flue-cured tobacco in 2013 were roughly $3,500
per acre3.

Production Regions

Flue-cured and burley tobacco have traditionally been produced in two very distinct regions of North
Carolina; however, growing areas do overlap in certain situations. Flue-cured tobacco is produced in most
Coastal Plain and Northern Piedmont counties (56 counties) 4. The soil types found in these specific regions
are extremely conducive to producing the flavor style tobacco typical of North Carolina, thanks in part to
good internal drainage and low organic content. Burley is more commonly produced in the mountainous
western region of the state, with limited acreage being found in the Northern Piedmont (13 counties) 4.
Burley tobacco has historically been produced in the mountains of North Carolina due to a favorable climate
marked by moderate temperatures with high relative humidity and soil types suitable for nutrient retention.

Production Practices

Tobacco is grown on a wide variety of soils, from very sandy to clay. However, maximum yields are
typically seen in sandy loam; soils with high organic content are not suitable. Soil nitrogen must be low
after flowering/topping to successfully produce a good quality crop.

Nearly 80 percent of the crop is grown on at least a two-year rotation5. Flue-cured tobacco is typically
grown on a high, wide row bed to allow for good drainage and aeration of the roots. Some flue-cured and
most burley is grown on a flat field surface. Though some acres are grown as no-till or reduced-till, the
overwhelming majority (>99 percent) 5 of flue-cured tobacco is grown with conventional tillage. No-till
production is more prevalent in burley production, where soil type and topography are more favorable for its
use.

Tobacco is mechanically transplanted into the field as seedlings produced in greenhouses. Greenhouses are
typically sown from mid-February to mid-March, and field ready transplants are grown in 55 to 60 days.
(Approximately 60 square feet of greenhouse space will produce one acre of transplants). Targeted planting
density of flue-cured tobacco is 6,000 plants per acre. Burley is planted at a higher density of 7,200 plants
per acre, due to a more erect leaf morphology. At the time of transplanting, water is applied in-furrow
underneath tobacco seedlings. Water applied at transplanting often contains trace amounts of nutrients and
Crop Protection Agent’s (CPA’s), all of which contribute to increased transplant vigor and more rapid
growth. Overhead irrigation is utilized on approximately 20-25 percent of the acreage5. Between
transplanting and layby (a crop stage that typically occurs four to six weeks after transplanting when
tobacco plants are about 15 to 20 inches in height) tobacco is cultivated to remove weeds, incorporate
CPA’s, reduce soil crusting, improve aeration/drainage, and to continuously build a raised plant bed.
Developing flower heads begin to appear eight to 10 weeks after transplanting and are removed (topped) to
increase leaf yield and quality. Topping may be done by hand (59% of acreage5) or mechanically (41% of
acreage5). Since tobacco is a terminally dominant plant, removal of flower heads induces growth of lateral
shoots known as “suckers”. In most cases, suckers are controlled chemically; however, some clean-up by
hand is normally done.

Harvest of flue-cured tobacco is accomplished in multiple stages, with the ripest (lower leaves) removed
first. Harvest is accomplished by hand (28% of acreage5) or mechanically (72% of acreage5). Following
harvest, flue-cured tobacco is placed into a forced-air indirect-heated curing barn for a period of 6-8 days.
During the curing process, the interior barn temperature is gradually increased from ambient to nearly
165°F. As the temperature is increased, relative humidity is gradually decreased to allow for complete
moisture removal from leaf lamina and stems/midribs. The flue-curing process is broken into three distinct
phases: yellowing, leaf drying, and stem drying. During the yellowing phase, starch within the leaf is
converted into sugar and chlorophyll is degraded to reveal carotenoids, thus giving the leaf a pleasing
smell/flavor and a yellow to orange color. Once yellowing is complete, the curing temperature is increased
to stop enzymatic degradation of sugar and to remove additional moisture from the lamina and midrib. After
the curing process is finished, leaves have essentially zero percent moisture content; therefore, moisture
must be added for handling. This process is referred to as “ordering tobacco”. Burley tobacco is harvested
in a single pass. Burley tobacco is stalk cut with a knife or hatchet and the entire plant is hung on a stick to
air-cure. The air-curing process will last in duration from one to two months depending upon climatic
conditions. Once cured, burley tobacco is stripped and leaves are separated by stalk position. Flue-cured
and burley tobacco leaves are compressed into bales weighing roughly 650 to 700 pounds and sold at
receiving stations designated by individual contracts with various leaf dealers and/or manufacturers.

Diseases

Diseases can impact the yield and quality of tobacco, and may occur in the greenhouse, field, and even
during curing. Disease can be a major factor in the production of seedlings in greenhouses. In 2015, the
most common diseases reported in tobacco greenhouses were caused by Pythium (3% loss5), Rhizoctonia
(2% loss5), and Sclerotinia (2% loss5). Minimizing disease losses in the greenhouse begins with the use of
good cultural practices. Sanitation practices include cleaning mowers to avoid the spread of tobacco mosaic
virus and bacteria; removing plant clippings, used media, and discarded seedlings well away from the
greenhouse; sanitizing or changing foot gear; cleaning seedling trays between seasons; and using only clean
water for float beds or overhead irrigation when needed. Proper ventilation, air circulation, and temperature
control are also important. Closing greenhouses in July and August and bringing the temperature to 140°F
for seven days will help kill any pathogens in the greenhouse. Keeping greenhouses free of weed hosts and
avoiding the production of tobacco from October to February are also helpful in avoiding diseases.
Fumigation with methyl bromide (where available) (48% of producers5), sanitizing transplant trays by
dipping them in a 10 percent bleach solution (8% of producers5), and steaming of trays (25% of producers5)
are sometimes used. Methyl bromide is no longer manufactured; therefore, availability is extremely limited
and producers will be forced to utilize other methods of tray sanitation in the near future. When using a
bleach solution for sanitation, great care must taken to ensure that bleach adequately penetrates into any
cracks in the trays and then that it is sufficiently washed from each tray. If bleach is not removed, sodium
and chloride concentrations will inhibit seedling growth. Limited chemical control options for disease
control are available: mancozeb, aluminum tris, and ferbam are available for blue mold and anthracnose
suppression; azoxystrobin can be used once for target spot control; and etridiazole (e.g., Terrazole) can help
with Pythium root rot.

Tobacco field diseases caused North Carolina growers an average yield loss of 10 to 15 percent in 20155.
Integrated management plans are needed and widely used to control tobacco diseases in the field. Such
plans include crop rotation, sanitation (timely stalk and root destruction), resistant varieties, row bedding,
plant spacing, balanced fertilization, and the use of fumigants, fungicides, and nematicides. Almost all
chemical control is preventative rather than curative and is applied pre-transplanting or initiated when
diseases first appear in the field or area.

Data on application of pesticides for disease control cannot in all cases be partitioned accurately by the
targeted disease. Thus, general data on their use are given here, and, where possible, more specific use data
may be given under the heading of individual diseases.

Fumigants

Fumigants are used for control of nematodes, black root rot, black shank, and Granville wilt. In 1989,
growers reported treating 10 percent of acres with chloropicrin, 2.5 percent with 1,3-dichloropropene, and
16 percent with combinations of the two. In 1998, it was estimated that growers treated 41 percent of their
acres with chloropicrin and 35 percent with 1,3-dichloropropene (these figures include 23percent of acres
treated with combinations of the two). In 2015, reports indicate that 42 percent of acres were treated with
chloropicrin, 2.5 percent with 1,3-dichloropropene, and 37 percent with combinations of the two5.

Fungicides

Mefenoxam is used for the control of black shank and sensitive strains of blue mold. This material was used
on 67 percent of the tobacco acreage in 2015, either alone or in combination with other CPA’s, primarily for
the suppression of black shank5. A new active ingredient, fluopicolide, was labeled in 2015 for black shank
and blue mold and is estimated to have been applied to 32 percent of the acreage5. Azoxystrobin is used for
control of target spot, and was applied to 47 percent of the acreage in 20155. Multiple CPA’s are labeled for
blue mold, but are not commonly used in flue-cured tobacco production unless the pathogen is identified
early in the season.

Nematicides

Root-knot nematodes, primarily Meloidogyne incognita, M. arenaria, and M. javanica, are parasitic on the
roots of tobacco plants and can cause severe stunting. Stunting reduces yield and results in an uneven crop
that is difficult and expensive to manage. These pests are widespread and are estimated to have reduced
yields in North Carolina by about 1.7 percent in 20155 (despite extensive control measures, potential losses
are much higher). The presence of root-knot nematodes may greatly increase the severity of diseases caused
by other pathogens, so growers should routinely have soil tests done to determine if they have root-knot
nematodes in their fields.

Cultural control:
Sanitation (fall stalk and root destruction) is almost universally practiced for control of nematodes and root
pathogens of tobacco. Resistant varieties have been developed and are commercially available for most
diseases. In addition, rotation by the use of such crops as small grains and grasses is effective in reducing
pathogen populations.

Chemical control:
Soil assays and tobacco root evaluation can be used to predict future populations and to design management
programs, including cultural and chemical practices. Both fumigants and contact nematicides are available;
however, contact type nematicides are not used. Fumigants are often used for multiple purposes and are
most valuable in the prevention of disease complexes involving nematodes and fungi.

Weeds

Season-long weed suppression can be extremely difficult to achieve in a tobacco production system.
Multiple factors contribute to this issue, but the primary reason is the length of the growing season, which
can last longer than five months. Weeds are problematic because they can serve as alternate hosts for
certain diseases, reduce leaf yield and quality, interfere with mechanical harvest, contribute to foreign
matter contamination in marketable leaf, and can compromise export market opportunities.

Cultural control:
Crop rotation, cover crops, deep tillage, and cultivation are the primary means of cultural weed control, but
none of these provides adequate control for most fields. Time limitations associated with increased farm
size prevent timely cultivation, the most effective cultural control, from being as beneficial as in the past.

Chemical control:
At present, there are only seven herbicides labeled for use in tobacco production. Surveys indicate that over
97 percent of all flue-cured tobacco acreage in North Carolina is treated with at least one of these
herbicides. The most commonly used are clomazone (0.75 to1.00 lb. ai/acre), sulfentrazone (0.25 to 0.38 lb.
ai/acre), sethoxydim (0.19 to 0.28 lb. ai/acre), and pendimethalin (0.75 to 1.00 lb. ai/acre)5. Together, these
four herbicides provide control for the majority of problem weeds encountered in tobacco production.
Growers will either incorporate or soil-apply herbicides before transplanting because of label restrictions
and/or time constraints. Sethoxydim and carfentrazone are the only herbicides labeled for remedial control.

Insect Pests

A complex of pest insects, and other invertebrates, feed on tobacco during different parts of its production
cycle (Figure 1.). Of these, hornworms, budworms, green peach aphids, and flea beetles are the most
common pests that necessitate insecticide applications. Viruses spread by tobacco thrips and wireworm
damage are also of impact in certain localized areas of NC.

Figure 1. A timeline of tobacco pests. Origin: NC Tobacco Portal – Insect Pest Management.
Timeline assembled by H. J. Burrack.
 Pest Damage 2016 economic For more information
threshold for
insecticide treatment
Wireworms Wireworms are Since there are no Check out the NC
(Elateridae spp.) immature click beetle “rescue treatments” Tobacco Portal for
larvae that live available for additional information
underground and feed wireworms, there are on wireworm biology
on the roots of no economic and control. Current
tobacco plants. This thresholds. Soil insecticide
feeding can cause fumigation or systemic recommendations can
stunting of tobacco insecticide applications be found in the North
plants, and make are recommended only Carolina Agricultural
plants more where field history Chemicals Manual (pg.
susceptible to soil- indicates the potential 96 of the ‘Insect
borne pathogens. for wireworm damage. Control’ section in the
2016 version).
Tobacco Thrips Tobacco thrips cause The TSWV and Thrips Check out the NC
(Frankliniella little damage on their Exposure Tool for Tobacco Portal for
fusca) own, but they vector Tobacco can be used additional information
tomato spotted wilt for timing planting and on tobacco thrips.
virus (TSWV) which insecticide applications Current insecticide
can severely stunt or to reduce damage from recommendations can
kill tobacco plants. tomato spotted wilt be found in the North
virus. Carolina Agricultural
Chemicals Manual (pg.
96 of the ‘Insect
Control’ section in the
2016 version).
Tobacco flea beetle Adult beetles feed on Young plants: Check out the NC
(Epitrix hirtipennis) leaves leaving tiny 4 beetles/plant Tobacco Portal for
“shot holes”. Heavy additional information
feeding on young Mature plants on flea beetle biology
transplants can stunt (post topping): and control. Current
or kill them. Very 60 beetles/plant insecticide
high numbers of recommendations can
tobacco flea beetles be found in the North
around the time of Carolina Agricultural
harvest can result in Chemicals Manual (pg.
lower leaves with a 93 of the ‘Insect
lacy appearance. Control’ section in the
2016 version).
Tobacco budworm Caterpillars damage 10% of plants infested Check out the NC
(Heliothis leaves directly, but with at least one Tobacco Portal for
virescens) usually this damage budworm additional information
does not reduce yield. on tobacco budworm
Of greater concern is biology and control.
caterpillar feeding Current insecticide
that triggers excess recommendations can
 sucker growth, which be found in the North
results in labor- Carolina Agricultural
intensive removal. Chemicals Manual (pg.
94 of the ‘Insect
Control’ section in the
2016 version).
Green peach aphids Heavy infestations 10% of plants infested Check out the NC
(Myzus persicae) result in stunting of with more than 50 Tobacco Portal for
tobacco plants and aphids per upper stalk additional information
lower yields. Aphids leaf on green peach aphid
also excrete a sugary- biology and control.
liquid called Current insecticide
honeydew that can recommendations can
promote the growth be found in the North
of leaf-staining sooty Carolina Agricultural
molds on the leaves Chemicals Manual (pg.
below. 91 for greenhouse and
pg. 92 for field
applications in the 2016
version).
Tobacco hornworm Caterpillars feed on One hornworm per 10 Check out the NC
(Manduca sexta) tobacco leaves, and plants Tobacco Portal for
and tomato mature caterpillars additional information
hornworm (M. can cause rapid on hornworm biology
quinquemaculata) defoliation of whole and control. Current
tobacco plants. insecticide
recommendations can
be found in the North
Carolina Agricultural
Chemicals Manual (pg.
94 of the ‘Insect
Control’ section in the
2016 version).
Occasional pests include white fringed beetles, cutworms, grasshoppers, tobacco splitworms, Japanese
beetles, stinkbugs, and various greenhouse pests. More information about the biology and control of these
pests can be found in the Insect Pest Management section of the North Carolina Tobacco Portal.

Topping and Suckers

In a process referred to as “topping”, the floral parts of tobacco plants are removed to increase yield and
quality. Research has shown that delaying topping from the early flower stage (button) to the late flower
stage results in a yield loss of 1 percent per acre per day. Thus, early topping increases yields by
approximately 250 pounds per acre. Surveys indicate that 41 percent of the crop are topped mechanically
and 59 percent by hand5.
After the plants are topped, or after they reach the full flower stage, apical dominance is lost within the
plant. This physiological response results in lateral shoot growth from each leaf axil. These axillary shoots
are called suckers, and two or three per leaf axil are commonly produced. Most plants are topped at 20
leaves, which results in 40 to 60 potential suckers per plant. Excessive sucker growth also reduces yield and
quality in the same manner as unremoved flowers. Therefore, sucker control is a very important
management practice.

Chemical control:
Chemical sucker control is used on nearly 100 percent of the acreage. Suckercides are divided into two
categories, contact and systemic, based on their mobility in the plant.

Contact materials (85 percent by weight of a combination of C6, C8, C10, and C12 fatty alcohols in the
commercial product) control suckers through the dehydration that results from the spray solution dissolving
the layer of waxy cuticle on the epidermis. Contacts are not systemic and therefore must touch (i.e.,
contact) the suckers in each leaf axil. Control is regulated by concentration (4 to 5 percent commercial
product on a volume basis), timing (earlier is best because coverage is better on small suckers), and
application technique (high water volume, low pressure for rundown from leaf axil to leaf axil on the stalk).
The purpose of the contact is to control sucker growth until the upper leaves on the plant are mature enough
that a systemic suckercide to control suckers by stopping cell division can be applied. Typically, contacts
are applied 2 to 3 times per acre per season. For example in 2015, 21 percent of the acreage received two
contact applications and 68 percent received at least three5. Less than 5 percent of the acreage received one
contact application5. Typically, each application involves a minimum of 2 gallons of commercial product
per acre.

Systemic suckercides control suckers by inhibiting cell division. They do not affect cell enlargement, so
they are applied after the upper leaves on the stalk reach a minimum of 8 to10 inches. Contacts provide
immediate, but temporary control of the suckers they touch, but systemics give residual, long-lasting
control. Maleic Hydrazide (MH) is a true systemic that was used on 82 percent of the acreage in 20155.
Because of cured leaf residues, MH should be applied only once per season. Sucker control is not adequate
with one application of MH; therefore, MH is usually applied in combination with one of two locally
systemic materials. The local systemics are dinitroanilines (flumetralin and butralin), and they control
suckers in the same manner as MH. Dinitroanilines are not true systemics and must be absorbed at the leaf
axil. Flumetralin is more commonly used in flue-cured production, while butralin is used almost
exclusively in burley production. In 2015, flumetralin was applied in combination with MH to
approximately 61 percent of the acreage5. In addition, 23 percent of the acreage received flumetralin but no
MH5.

The labeled MH rate is 1.5 gallons per acre (2.25 lbs. ai/acre); however, 1.0 gallons per acre is
recommended due to residue concerns. Flumetralin is typically applied at 0.5 gallons per acre (0.6 lbs.
ai/acre). For burley production, butralin is applied at 0.5 to 0.75 gallons per acre (1.5 to 2.25 lbs. ai/acre
 Online Resources
2015-2016 Burley & Dark Tobacco Production Guide

2015 NCSU Flue-Cured Tobacco Production Guide

NCSU Tobacco Portal

NCSU Plant Disease & Insect Clinic

2015 North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual

North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services-Agronomic Division

Contacts

Matthew Vann*, Extension Specialist, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University

Loren Fisher, Extension Specialist, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University

Matthew Inman, Extension Associate, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University

Grant Ellington, Extension Assistant Professor, Biological & Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina
State University

Hannah Burrack, Extension Specialist, Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University

Aurora Toennisson*, Research Associate, Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University

David Shew,* Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University

Blake Brown, Extension Economist, Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, North Carolina
State University

Gary Bullen, Extension Associate, Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, North Carolina
State University

*contributing authors
 References

1. Anonymous. 2015. USDA Crop Production: Tobacco Area Harvested, Yield, and Production by Class and
Type-States and United States: 2014 and Forecasted September 1, 2015. p. 15. ISSN: 1936-3737. Accessed
on Nov. 2nd, 2015. http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/crop0915.pdf
2. Anonymous. 2015. 2014 State Agriculture Overview: North Carolina. Accessed Nov. 2nd, 2015.
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=NORTH%20CAROLINA
3. Brown, B and W Snell. 2015. US Tobacco Situation and Outlook. In 2015 NCSU Flue-Cured Tobacco
Production Guide. AG-187 (revised). p. 4-12.
4. Kruger, Kris. 2013. Crops. In 2013 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics. p. 62-97.
http://www.ncagr.gov/stats/2013AgStat/Page062-097.pdf
5. Vann, Matthew C., Extension Specialist, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University,
unpublished (based on a 2015 survey of North Carolina Cooperative Extension Agents).