I have received a few calls about foliar fertilizer for tobacco this year since the weather didn’t cooperate and most could not get in the fields to side dress. Bob Pearce, UK Tobacco Associate Extension Professor, recently sent out these keys points concerning foliar fertilizer for tobacco production.
Tobacco can absorb small amounts of nutrients through their leaves, however most plants like tobacco do not have the mechanisms to utilize large amount of nutrients through the leaves. Foliar fertilization could provide some temporary easing of nutrient deficiency, but we would need an almost continuous supply of low levels of nutrients for sustained relief.
In properly conducted research trials, supplemental foliar fertilization has only rarely been shown to produce significant and reproducible increases in leaf yield. In some studies foliar fertilizers have been applied 4 or 5 times over the course of a season before they had significant effect.
If you decide to use foliar fertilizers, be aware that they can produce leaf burn. Limit the concentration by using small amounts of fertilizer and increasing the amount of water applied. For water soluble fertilizer like 20-20-20 or 20-10-20 do not apply more than 5 lbs. per acre at any one time and mix in at least 30 gallons of water. Take extra caution when mixing fertilizers with insecticides, fungicides, and sucker control products as they may enhance the potential for phtyotoxicity.
There are some products out there that claim that a pint or two of the product is equal to a much larger amount of fertilizer. The claims are generally false and we have not seen yield increases from the products that been tested so far at the UK research facilities.
In addition to potential fertility issues, UK tobacco specialist Dr. Andy Bailey told agents last week that black shank, target spot and frogeye are very likely to occur this year due to the wet conditions that we have faced. Ridomil, Ultra Flourish and MetaStar fungicides are labeled for post-planting for black shank control, however work best when incorporated into the soil so we are past the point of being able to apply and incorporate now. For target spot and frogeye, quadric is the only chemical labeled for tobacco to control both diseases and can be used up to the day of harvest.
For more information on tobacco related issues and the use of foliar fertilizers, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690. Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
On a different note, I would like to say Thank You to everyone that came out to this year’s Ag Festival! I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your support and your attendance at the event. The Ag Festival Committee met this past Monday and we are already planning for next year! I would also like to give a special Thank You to all of our sponsors: Independence Bank, Pioneer, McLean County Farm Bureau, Muster Funeral Homes, Tyson Chicken, Inc. , Beck’s, Security Seed, McLean County Ag Development Council, CPS, Riverside Care & Rehabilitation Center, BF Evans, Jim Gooch, US Bank, Hook Em’ Up Pulling, Farm Credit Services of Mid-America, Farm Credit Services of Mid-America Crop Insurance, First Security Bank, Ohio Valley Insurance, Providence Agriculture, Southern States, Wright Implement, H&R AgriPower, Erb Equipment, Murphy Farms, Ward Implement and Underwood Farms. Ag Festival would not be possible without the support of these sponsors.
Upcoming Ag Events
Aug 7th Tri-County Grain Sorghum Field Day, 9am Melton Farm in Sebree
Aug 13th CPH Sale
Aug 14th McLean Co. Beef Field Day, 9am Freddie Adkins’ Farm
Aug 27th Rinse and Return, 1pm CPS
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