Most crops are continuing to progress quite well. Cultivation is a common activity on most farms at this time. Side-dressing is also occurring now and will continue up until the last cultivation.
Stage of growth of an earlier planted field.
There are no widespread problems being reported at this time. Unfortunately, high winds earlier in the week did cause some damage to plants on some farms particularly on knolls and in the more open areas of fields. Farm or field specific problems that have been reported since planting include fumigant injury, uneven plant stands caused by weaker plants, insect feeding from one or more of the following – cutworms, white grubs, seedcorn maggots and wireworms, salt injury to plants from fertilizer applied to close to plants, and planting of diseased greenhouse plants to the field. Plants infected by Bacterial Soft Rot and Black Root Rot have been seen in certain fields, which in these cases both diseases originated from infection in the greenhouse.
Black Root Rot is caused by the fungus Thielaviopsis basicola and can be found infecting greenhouse seedlings, particularly those grown in Styrofoam plug trays (see photos below). Planting infected seedlings in the field results in poor field growth and later maturity. Unless Styrofoam plug trays are properly sterilized following use each year, it is not uncommon for the fungus to build up in the trays. Research at CTRF has found that a steam treatment of Styrofoam plug trays at 80°C (176°F) for 1 hour can provide good control of Black Root Rot contamination. For more information on Black Root Rot and its control, please refer to the technical bulletin entitled “Tobacco Pests and Disorders in the Field – Black Root Rot” posted in the plant protection section under the research heading of this website.
Wilting of float tray seedlings caused by roots infected by Black Root Rot.
Roots in field infected by Black Root Rot that originated in the greenhouse.
Post prepared and sent by Canadian Tobacco Research Foundation
Mailing Address: CTRF, P.O. Box 322, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4H5
Telephone: 519-842-8997
Web Address: http://ctrf1.com