Removing Tobacco Stems
The Aegean Region ranks at the forefront in terms of tobacco cultivation, with a production of approximately 55-60 thousand tons and a yield of 90-95 kg per decare compared to other regions of our country. In this region, nearly 30 thousand cultivators are engaged in tobacco business every year, contributing to both the family and the economy of the country. However, for some reasons, it is not always possible to obtain the desired level of product. One of these reasons is often common harmful issues. Pests such as aphids, tobacco thrips and tobacco pregnant are seen in tobacco fields almost every year, and they can continue their lives throughout the year where and when conditions are suitable. Tobacco residues left in the field also constitute the most important shelter and feeding environments for these pests to survive. For this reason, tobacco residues in the fields are very important in terms of securing the next year's crop.
In the Aegean Region and around Denizli, our city, after tobacco is completely harvested, its residues are left in the fields for a long time. Crushing works in the region are completed at the end of September at the latest. October, November and even December are mild. In the observations made in the environment, it was observed that these residues were not removed from the fields and it was noted that various pests were found on tobacco stems and leaves on the plant. Considering that many tobacco producers spend the winter on tobacco residues and make their nurseries in the immediate vicinity of the tobacco fields, sometimes at the edge of the same field, the possibility of switching to new tobacco is very high.
M.persicae (Peach aphid), T.tabaci (Tobacco thrips), B.tabaci (White fly), T.urticae (two-point red spider) belonging to different families of various insect orders in İzmir and its surroundings in 1985 and 1986. and P.operculella (pregnant tobacco), 5 different species were identified. Considering the densities of these species, T. tabaci, T.urticae and especially P.operculella have been identified as important pests found in tobacco residues. (* Dr. Süheyla ZÜMREOĞLU Plant Protection Research Institute Bornova-İZMİR)
Dear tobacco producers;
As you all know, there is a term in agriculture called stubble spoiling. Stubble means to disrupt the parts such as roots and stems that remain in the field after the crop is removed, and to disrupt these parts means to plow the field normally and bury it in the soil. However, the stem and root of every crop cannot be buried in the ground. For example, it is necessary to collect the stems in the sunflower field. Tobacco with short stems are easily buried in the ground, while those with long stems cannot be buried by plowing.
Stubble has many benefits. Regardless of the crop, if the stubble is destroyed as soon as you leave the field, the weeds will be buried in the soil and destroyed because the soil is cultivated. In this way, the field does not get tired because of the feeding of weeds. Since the last spring rains easily penetrate the fields that have deteriorated stubble, such fields come early and are processed early. In addition, there are some other technical necessities in removing the tobacco stems. These requirements can be summarized in two points.
1- Since tobacco plants do not dry many times after the tobacco slaughter is over, the leaves that are left unbroken and the leaves sprout over the places where the leaves are broken. If stubble is not done in such fields, the field will be doubly tired, as if two crops were removed in the same year.
2- Diseases and pests continue to operate and damage the sprouts that occur with the leaves remaining unbroken in tobacco stubble. One of them is tobacco pregnant. It winters hiding in tobacco stalks. It is the thrips that cause aquatic disease that continues to reproduce on the shoots. In addition, TMV can also develop in stubble leaves.
Diseases and pests winter strongly and strongly to attack their tobacco the following year.
In addition, there are many other pests that feed on tobacco stubble. This is why the tobacco stubble must be damaged and the stems must be removed. The smart and conscious farmer should do the stubble harvesting on time, considering his own benefit. Tobacco stems can be removed directly or collected by plowing the field. Stems and roots that have been removed should never be left in or around the tobacco field or seedbed. In particular, pests such as thrips and tobacco pregnant overwinter where the stalks are piled up and spread from there to the field the following year. Ash obtained from burning tobacco stems is rich in potassium and can be given to tobacco fields as fertilizer. At least 140-150 cm sized tobacco stems are cut and silaged, mixed with 20% straw and given to sheep.
The detected pest densities may be ignored, perhaps because they were found in tobacco residues left in the fields. However, it should be known that these pests will survive as long as they have hosts and they can easily pass to the seedbeds to be prepared for the new tobacco season in these areas. As a matter of fact, Denizli has managed to keep the presence of thrips and tobacco pregnant (P.operculella) at the highest level in recent years and especially in the 2013 tobacco cultivation season. Therefore, as soon as tobacco slaughter is complete, tobacco residues should be collected from the fields, the soil should be plowed deeply or the residues should be burned. In some tobacco fields, there is a problem of nematodes and since it is very difficult to fight, tobacco fields should be plowed deeply when the soil temperature is high at the end of the crimes. The pests that go deeper cannot be combated with the plowing made after the soil temperature has decreased.
The biggest reason for the problems seen in practice is tobacco farming in the Aegean Region and Denizli Province in at least 35% of the rented fields. Field applications are slow in this respect. In the impressions and trips, it is observed that the diseases and pests will pass to the next year in large quantities.