Downstalk Tobacco Better Than Normal

Source from:  By Tom Murphy, Rocky Mount Telegram 08/15/2005

Downstalk leaves in this year's Nash County tobacco crop are curing well, said Nash County Cooperative Extension Service Director Charlie Tyson. "It's better quality tobacco than usual," Tyson said. "Our upperstalk leaf is still developing and maturing because we had some dry periods without rain." Tyson said farmers have the potential to produce an excellent quality flue-cured tobacco crop this year. "We not expecting our tobacco poundage production to be quite as high as last year per acre, because we just haven't had as much rainfall," he said. "But we are expecting the quality to be just as good as last year." Tyson said the cooperative extension service is anxious to know much tobacco farmers actually planted this season. "In my observations, I think we have more tobacco planted than last," he said. "We are waiting on a crop report from farmers that should be coming soon." Nash County's burley tobacco crop looks good, Tyson said. "Some of our farmers are growing burley for the first time and will attend a cooperative extension field day next week in Kinston," he said. "At the seminar, they will learn more about harving and curing techniques for burley tobacco." Tyson said there are about 120 acres of burley tobacco planted in or close to the Nash County line. Harvesting flue-cured tobacco and burley tobacco require different techniques, he said. "We harvest flue-cured tobacco multiple times from the bottom of the tobacco stalk up," he said. "Burley growers cut down a burley tobacco stalk, hang the stalk with the leaves intact for many weeks to air dry." The Kinston field day will provide farmers with a learning opportunity about harvesting burley. "They will learn how the stalk should be spaced to have adequate ventilation for proper curing," he said. "They will also learn how to remove the leaves from the stalk after they are cured." Enditem