Date set for tobacco production meeting

By GARY TILGHMAN

GLASGOW — Tobacco producers’ don’t forget the Barren County Tobacco Production Meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16 beginning at 7 p.m.

The meeting will be at the Barren County Extension Office auditorium. Dr. Bob Pearce, UK Extension Tobacco Specialist and Dr. John Wilhoit, UK Ag Engineering Specialist will be our guests.



Managing tobacco transplant diseases

The float-bed system is a convenient and efficient way to produce tobacco transplants. One drawback to this method is the potential for significant disease development. Large numbers of plants packed into a small, water-filled area create conditions in which many diseases thrive. 

Once established, problems in float-bed systems can be difficult to eradicate or bring under control.  So, it is best to keep them from gaining a foothold in your transplant bed.  Prevention is the best solution for keeping float-bed diseases in check.  Here are some tips to help you stay ahead of tobacco-transplant diseases:

1. Produce your own plants or buy from a Kentucky source if possible.  Growers who use the plug-and-transfer system should consider buying plugs grown in or north of Kentucky to avoid infections of blue mold, which is more prevalent in the South.

2. Take care not to introduce pathogens into the float system. Keep out field soil, which can harbor pathogens that cause root and stem rots. For the same reason, you shouldn’t use water from ponds or creeks to fill float beds. Always use city or well water. 

3. Use clean, sanitized trays for seed. Reused trays pose a risk of contamination. Dip or spray them with a solution of one part bleach to 9 parts water. Cover and allow them to stand overnight. Follow up with a good rinse to remove the bleach residue. You should replace or heat treat with steam trays older than three or four years. 

4. Once your plants are up and growing, keep them as stress-free as possible. Avoid temperature extremes and keep fertilizer levels within recommended ranges. Too much fertilizer is equally as harmful as too little and can increase susceptibility to diseases in general. 

5. Use side vents and fans to maintain good air movement and keep the area surrounding the float bed weed-free.  Good air flow promotes rapid drying of foliage which helps to eliminate favorable conditions for disease. 

6. Consider a regular fungicide program to control root and leaf diseases.  Fungicides are inexpensive insurance considering the value of your transplants. 

Disease free transplants pay dividends down the road because they are vigorous and less prone to attack by pathogens in the field. Proper management of diseases in the float system insures that your tobacco crop gets off to a good start. 



Winter Coveralls Dairy Meeting Feb. 19

The Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Alltech, and the UK Cooperative Extension Service are cooperating with a series of meetings for dairy producers throughout Kentucky. We are hosting one of those sessions this Friday, Feb. 19 beginning at 10 a.m. with registration and winding down at 1:30 p.m.

The Barren County session will be held at the Barren County Extension Office auditorium. All dairy farmers are encouraged to attend.

Three topics of discussion will be offered. They include: Milk Quality and Mastitis Economics, Making Silage Sense, and Hoof Health, What is Really Going on Down There.

Several key speakers will make these presentations and should really add to a dairy farmer’s arsenal for information to improve in these three areas of management.

A complimentary lunch will be provided for those in attendance and registered for meeting when presentations begin at 10:30 a.m., so don’t be late.

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