With harvesting completed earlier in October, CTRF will now begin to evaluate the tobacco cured from several of the field trials conducted in 2016.
Variety trials being harvested for the final time near Delhi, ON on October 5, 2016.
Similar to last year, a total of 42 promising flue-cured varieties were tested in replicated trials, with some of these varieties being grown at multiple sites. The main objectives of CTRF’s breeding program are to develop varieties with good quality, high yield and disease resistance. Several varieties under test have resistance to Black Root Rot, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, and/or Potato Virus Y. Screening of breeding lines with high tolerance to Root-Lesion Nematodes is also occurring. CTRF will again be holding an Open House later this year for growers to view cured leaves from the registered varieties and the new varieties that show the most promise for registration. Agronomic data of these varieties will also be made available at the Open House.
In the plant protection area this year, several field trials were undertaken involving the control of Aphids, Root-Lesion Nematodes, White Mould, Blue Mold, and Pavement Ants (in the greenhouse). New crop protection agents were evaluated as controls for these insect pests and diseases. In some cases, the disease was not present in the field in 2016, such as Blue Mold. Even though the disease did not occur, the effect of a new crop protection agent on leaf yield and quality can still be determined. Data collected from all of the field trials will be analyzed once the yield and grade assessment of the cured tobacco has been completed.
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