Tobacco Production Guide: A Step-By-Step Cultivation Practices

India has almost 97,000 registered tobacco farmers and uses around 0.25% of its cultivated land for tobacco production. Since 1947, the government has supported the growth of the tobacco industry, with seven research centers located in different states. The Tobacco Board Guntur was established to increase the production, sale, and exports of Indian tobacco, with Guntur being well-known for its tobacco plantations.

India is the second-largest producer and exporter of tobacco, after China and Brazil, respectively, with around 750 million kg of tobacco leaf produced in an area of 0.45 million hectares (0.27% of the net cultivated area). The Central Tobacco Research Institute operates under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Tobacco Production Guide

Best Package and Practices of High-Production Tobacco

To achieve high-production tobacco, it is important to use good-quality seeds, select appropriate land, and maintain proper irrigation and fertilization practices. Cultivate healthy seedlings and transplant them to the field when they are mature. Use appropriate crop protection practices and timely harvesting techniques. Proper curing and storage of tobacco leaves are also crucial for maintaining quality.

Land/ Field Preparation and Soil Requirements for Tobacco

Flue-cured, light tobacco requires light, sandy soil, while air-cured, dark tobacco is grown on silty loam to clay loam soils. Medium-textured soils are suitable for fire-cured and air-cured, light tobacco. The crop is sensitive to waterlogging and requires well-aerated, well-drained soils with a pH of 5 to 6.5. Soil salinity affects the quality of tobacco leaves.

Temperature, Climatic, and Rainfall Requirements for Tobacco

Tobacco can be grown in various climates but requires a frost-free 90 to 120 days from transplanting to the last harvest. The optimum temperature for growth is between 20 and 30°C. A dry period is necessary for ripening and harvesting the leaves, as excess rainfall leads to thin and lightweight leaves. Sun-cured or oriental tobacco requires a dry climate for full aroma development. Tobacco needs an average of 50 to 100 cm of rainfall, and most varieties are day-neutral in their flowering response, except for some short-day types.

Propagation Method and Seed Quality for Tobacco

Tobacco propagation is mostly done through seedlings grown in a seedbed or nursery and transplanted to the main field after a few weeks. Seeds should be high quality, uniform, and free from disease and insect damage. They are soaked in water to promote germination and sown in a well-prepared seedbed. Optimal temperature and moisture levels are maintained to ensure rapid and uniform seedling growth.

Seed Treatment for Tobacco

Pre-treatment of tobacco seeds is not typically required for germination. About 50-100 seeds can be placed in a 1.5mL microcentrifuge tube with 1mL of autoclaved MQ water and stratified at 4°C. After 24 hours, the seeds can be directly sown into the soil. This method ensures uniform germination and faster growth of seedlings.

Seed Rate and Spacing for Tobacco

Tobacco cultural practices and manuring vary across different regions. The seed is sown on well-prepared seedbeds with a 3-5kg seed rate per hectare. The seedbeds are typically raised or flat with channels in between. The optimum spacing depends on the type of tobacco: 75 x 75 cm for chewing tobacco, 75 x 50 cm for cigar tobacco, and 60 x 45 cm for cheroot tobacco. The seedlings are then transplanted into the main field.

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Sowing Method for Tobacco

Tobacco seeds are sown in seed beds and transplanted to the main field when they are about 15cm tall, typically 40 to 60 days after sowing. Seedlings are often covered during the first few weeks to protect them from unfavorable weather conditions.

Crop Rotation and Intercropping in Tobacco

It is advisable to practice crop rotation every one or two seasons when cultivating grass, sorghum, millet, and maize, which are not vulnerable to root eelworm infestations.

Manure & Fertilizer Applications in Tobacco

To improve soil quality, one can use either compost or manure. In preparation for planting, it’s best to incorporate compost in the spring into the soil. On the other hand, manure should be applied during the growing season when the soil is moist, and it’s recommended to apply it two to three times. Nitrogen needs for tobacco farming vary greatly depending on the type of tobacco and the soil type. For instance, FCV tobacco on black clayey soil may require only 20 Kg N/ha, while bidi-tobacco could require as much as 180 Kg N/ha.

Weed Management and Herbicide Application in Tobacco

Tobacco’s large leaves give it an edge over other crops as it can reduce the photosynthetic ability of weeds growing beneath it. Broadleaf weeds are less competitive than monocots with tobacco. However, some broadleaf and grass weed species can still pose a threat. Pre-emergence application of Alachlor (2.2-3.4 kg/ha), Benefin (1-1.5 kg/ha), and Clomazone (0.84-1.1 kg/ha) on the soil surface can help control weeds.

Water Management in Tobacco

For optimal establishment and early growth on light soils, it’s advisable to provide light irrigation during transplanting. Sufficient moisture is crucial for fast growth and early maturity, while irrigation can help prevent scalding of the upper leaves and firing of the lower leaves in dry weather. Additionally, irrigation may enhance the durability of the tobacco crop if harvested during hot weather.

Disease Control in Tobacco

Tobacco mosaic disease (TMD) is a disease that affects tobacco plants. The disease is caused by the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), a highly contagious virus easily transmitted through the sap, air-dried tobacco, and even contact between infected and healthy plants.

Symptoms of TMD include mottled or mosaic patterns of light and dark green areas on leaves, vein clearing, greenish-yellow mottling, stunted growth, malformation, distortion, and puckering of leaves, and the appearance of dark green blisters and sometimes leafy growths on the dorsal side of the leaf. Old stems and leaf trash of affected plants buried in the soil can be sources of infection and spread.

Pest Control in Tobacco

Gram Pod Borer, a polyphagous pest that lays yellowish eggs on delicate parts and buds of plants, with larvae that initially brown and later turn greenish with darker brown lines along the side of the body. Tobacco Caterpillar feeds on tobacco, cotton, castor, groundnut, tomato, cabbage, and other cruciferous crops.

Its eggs are covered by brown hairs and hatch in 3-5 days, with the full-grown caterpillar being velvety black with yellowish-green dorsal stripes and lateral white bands. Whitefly has pear-shaped light yellowish eggs and white, tiny, scale-like adults that cause leaf yellowing, blotching, mosaic, and leaf curling. It is also a vector of tobacco leaf curl disease.

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Harvesting and Threshing of Tobacco

Tobacco is Harvested between 70 to 130 days after transplanting using either of two methods. The first involves cutting the entire plant, splitting or spearing the stalk, and then hanging it on a tobacco stick or lath. The second method entails plucking leaves as they mature over time.

Tobacco Yield per Acre

Flue-cured Virginia and natu tobacco typically yield 750-950kg of tobacco leaf per hectare, while bidi tobacco can yield 1000kg, 450kg, or 350kg.

Conclusion

Tobacco cultivation requires careful attention to detail and adherence to specific practices. From selecting the right seeds and soil to managing pests and diseases, farmers must be knowledgeable and attentive throughout production.

Tobacco Production Guide: A Step-By-Step Cultivation Practices