<strong>China: Tobacco Subcompany Tests Water-saving Transplantation of Tobacco Seedlings</strong>

Source from:  Qujing Tobacco Monopoly Administration 03/28/2013

Malong County Tobacco Subcompany in Qujing City of southwest China's tobacco-producing Yunnan Province has launched in a timely manner tests of water-saving transplantation of tobacco seedlings under the mulching film, in preparation for smooth generalization of water-saving transplantation of tobacco seedlings under the mulching film in the county to the tune of 31,600 mu (2,107 hectares) in 2013.

Water-saving transplantation of tobacco seedlings under the mulching film is a technology developed by Mengzi Tobacco Subcompany in Honghe Prefecture under a research project. It is a method of transplantation under the mulching film applicable at the time when tobacco seedlings have developed four leaves around the trunk, in accordance with the local weather conditions. The application of this technology is capable of shortening the seedbed period and lowering seedlings development management risks, and is in favor of earthing up and promoting roots, raising the rate of utilization of water and nutrients, enabling tobacco crops to grow up early and develop rapidly, and making tobacco crops more resistible to plant diseases. Besides, this technology offers flexible ways of transplantation, evade the peak time of busy agricultural seasons and lowering the cost of transplantation. The application of this technology is also capable of enabling regions with a relatively high altitude to evade impacts of low temperatures and effectively promote maturity and harvest of leaf tobacco. Therefore, the technology of water-saving transplantation of tobacco seedlings under the mulching film is relatively suitable for generalization in tobacco-growing areas in Malong County in terms of theoretical and technological conditions and advantages.

Recently, Malong County Tobacco Subcompany has conducted tests of water-saving transplantation of tobacco seedlings under the mulching film simultaneously in designated tobacco fields in the four tobacco-growing townships of Maguohe, Wangjiazhuang, Tongquan and Dazhuang, to the tune of 20 mu (1.3 hectares). In conducting the tests, all the tobacco-growing areas designated have managed to make transplantation strictly in accordance with the operating procedures of the technology of water-saving transplantation of tobacco seedlings under the mulching film and the main points of the technical requirements for regulating preservation of moisture of the soil, construction of reservoirs, killing of underground pests, sufficient application of water for fixing roots, transplantation and fertilization with surface water, mulching, etc of Mengzi County Tobacco Subcompany.

Meanwhile, the production section of the tobacco subcompany has sent exclusive personnel to all the tobacco-growing areas to observe and record the growth of tobacco seedlings with or without punching, covering the time of transplantation, the height of tobacco seedlings since the time of transplantation, the time of breaking the mulching film, changes of temperatures, excessive heat against tobacco seedlings, the rate of survival of tobacco seedlings, the trend of growth of tobacco seedlings, etc. Enditem