Date Available

11-23-2011

Year of Publication

2011

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Document Type

Thesis

College

Agriculture

Department

Plant and Soil Science

First Advisor

Dr. Bob Pearce

Abstract

Maleic hydrazide (MH) applications have been standard practice for sucker control in burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) production for the last half-century because it is relatively inexpensive, effective and easy to apply. Non-MH suckercides such as fatty alcohols and local systemics can be utilized to reduce or replace MH and lower undesirable residues in the cured leaf. The objective of this study was to evaluate various nozzle types and arrangements for efficiency to determine if sucker control with fatty alcohol could be consistently improved over the currently used TG3-5-3 arrangement, as well as examine sprayer positioning (center vs. off-center) and leaf orientation variables using artificial plants. In the field study, the TG4-6-4 arrangement performed the best (p<0.05) when applying the same volume per hectare providing 80% sucker control with fatty alcohol only, not significantly different (p>0.05) than MH+Butralin treatment. For the artificial plant study, the TG4-6-4 provided more solution collected (p<0.05) at leaf axils as well as the highest percent of solution intercepted. Sprayer position and leaf orientation had less effect on solution intercepted with this arrangement than it did with the TG3-5-3. Results from this study support a recommendation of the TG4-6-4 over the TG3-5-3 for the application of contact chemicals for sucker control in burley tobacco.

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