EVALUATION OF FUNGICIDES TO ENHANCE WRAPPER LEAF PRODUCTION IN CONNECTICUT BROADLEAF CIGAR WRAPPER TOBACCO

ABSTRACT Field trials were conducted in 2021 at Princeton KY and in 2022 at Mayfield KY and Springfield TN to evaluate effects of fungicide programs on cigar wrapper leaf production in Connecticut Broadleaf cigar tobacco. Eleven fungicide programs were evaluated, including nine agrochemicals and two biological-based products. Applications began three weeks after transplanting and final applications occurred in the last week before harvest. There were significant treatment by location interactions, likely due to rainfall differences between the Princeton KY 2021 location and both locations in 2022. At Princeton KY in 2021, there were significant differences for total wrapper grades (sum of two-cut, binder, and wrapper leaves) produced. Tobacco treated with flutriafol produced higher wrapper yields than most of the other treatments. Fluopyram-treated tobacco also had significantly higher wrapper yield than tobacco treated with fluopicolide, oxathiapiprolin, or untreated tobacco. Tobacco treated with copper octanoate had higher wrapper yield than untreated tobacco. There were no significant differences in total yield, gross revenue, or total wrapper grades at either location in 2022. Based on 2021 results where significant differences were seen, flutriafol, fluopyram, and copper octanoate were most effective in increasing yield of wrapper grades.