The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
Cooperative Extension Service

1998 Tobacco Variety Information

J. Michael Moore, Paul Bertrand, Michael G. Stephenson, Steve LaHue

New Varieties for 1999

RGH12

developed by R. G. Seed Company with moderate levels of black shank and Granville wilt resistance and resistance to root-knot nematodes. It is a hybrid and is an early variety in terms of leaf ripening rate with excellent curability. It yields above average.

Growers are encouraged to plant only a limited acreage of any new variety until more information and experience becomes available from a wider range of soil and climatic conditions.

Variety Selection

All tobacco varieties undergo rigorous testing before being released for commercial production. This testing includes small plot trials on experiment stations, warehouse evaluations, determination of chemical and physical properties, and finally on-farm testing to evaluate how the potential variety performs in a commercial situation. A variety must meet certain quality standards before being released. Thus farmers can be assured that any variety that is released has been thoroughly evaluated before seed are made available for commercial planting.

Each farmer may have different requirements for the variety to be grown on his farm. Ease of growing and curing, disease and nematode resistance and market acceptance should be taken into account when selecting a variety. Since disease and nematode infestations on a farm can seriously limit variety selection, farmers should attempt to keep their fields free of these problems. Crop rotation is necessary on most farms to reduce losses from soil-borne diseases and nematodes.

Growers should not depend solely on varietal resistance to prevent losses from diseases and nematodes. Crop rotations and appropriate chemicals should be a part of every tobacco program no matter which variety is grown. In severely infested fields, there will usually be some loss to black shank with any variety. Chemicals are available to reduce black shank damage. Three year or longer crop rotation is a proven means of reducing black shank losses. Rotation among a group of black shank resistant varieties will prolong resistance of any one variety. This practice is most valuable where crop rotations are shortest. Nematode-resistant varieties have resistance only to races 1 and 3 of Southern root-knot nematode. Losses to peanut, Javanese and race 2 or 4 of Southern root-knot nematodes have been increased by short-term rotations, growing varieties resistant to races 1 and 3 of Southern root-knot nematode and improper use of nematicides. Rotating tobacco with nematode-resistant crops and effective use of nematicides are essential to preventing losses to nematodes.

Several agronomic characteristics may assist in the selection of a variety. Yield, quality, suckering habits, height, leaf spacing, leaf size and maturity characteristics are available. Some of these characteristics may be more affected by cultural practices than by varietal differences.

1998 Official Flue-Cured Variety Test

Tobacco varieties play a discerning role in yield and quality improvement programs. Moreover, a vital part of any breeding program is the appropriate testing and evaluation of new tobacco varieties. Important characteristics of these varieties are yield, disease resistance, desirable plant qualities, ease of handling and market acceptability. For a variety to be recommended it must be superlative in one or more and contain a balance of the remainder of the factors. For instance, for a variety to have an excellent yield and poor disease resistance or to yield well and have poor cured quality is undesirable.

The Regional Variety Test is conducted to obtain data on yield, disease resistance, quality as judged by physical appearance, and chemical analysis for quality characteristics. Once this information is analyzed, the desirable varieties and breeding lines in these tests advance to the Official Variety Test for further evaluation under growing and marketing conditions in Georgia.

As of last year we have included a few breeder's lines for evaluation. This data has two major uses. First, the breeders are made aware of Georgia's growing conditions. Secondly, extension personnel and growers are able to compare these developing materials to released varieties. All varieties which are not released have an asterisk by them. In addition, we have included the Regional Farm Test so that when varieties are selected from this test the extension service will have a second data set to use in making recommendations to growers.

The 1998 Official Variety Test and Regional Farm Test consisted of 40 entries and 14 entries respectively. These tests were conducted at the University of Georgia Bowen Farm on an Ocilla loamy coarse sand. Each entry was mechanically transplanted on March 25 with 20 plants per field plot and replicated three times. Fertilization consisted of 500 lbs/acre of 6-6-18 prior to transplanting and an application of 500 lbs/acre of 6-6-18 at cultivation with an additional 120 lbs/acre of 16-0-0 added as nitrate of soda.

Cultural practices, harvesting, and curing procedures were uniformly applied and followed the current University of Georgia recommendations. Data collected included yield in lbs/A, value/A in dollars, dollars per hundred weight, grade index, number of leaves/plant, plant height in inches, and days to flower. The chemical determinations consisted of total alkaloids, total soluble sugars, and the ratio of sugar to total alkaloids.

Yields (Table 1.) were average ranging from 1982 lbs/A for NC 2326 to 3667 lbs/A for K 326. The breeder's lines ranged from 2747 lbs/A for RG H61 to 3688 lbs/A for OX 414NF. Dollars per acre followed the same trend with NC 2326 at $3218/A and K 326 at $6376/A. The breeder's lines yielded $4569/A for RG H61 and a high of $6322/A for Speight 212 even though it yielded slightly less than OX 414NF. Grade indices were fairly good, ranging from 30 for NC 95 to 78 for Speight 210(unreleased). Leaf number and plant height were about normal for all entries with 30" to 36" heights and 18 leaves being the average. The spread for price per CWT ranged from $148 per CWT for NC 95 to $176 per CWT for Speight 209. The state average for 1998 was $170 per CWT and this test had 24 entries 1 to 8 dollars above and 16 entries 1 to22 dollars below with the test mean equal to the state average. Agronomic results from the 1998 Official Variety Test are summarized in Tables 1. and 2.

The Regional Farm Test is summarized in Table 3. In this test, none of the entries out weighed the NC 95 check significantly though RG 5H17 yielded 3715lbs/A as compared to 3075lbs/A for NC 95. Dollars per acre followed the same trend with NC 95 at $4715/A and RG 5H17 at $6226/A. The spread for price per CWT ranged from $154 per CWT for NC 95 to $173 per CWT for OX 6069. All entries were below the state average of $170 per CWTwith the exception of NCTG 100($172) and OX 6069($173). OX 6069 also had the highest grade index at 67 with NC 95 the lowest at 33. Leaf number and plant height were within normal ranges. Chemistry followed the same trend as the Official Variety Test.

Table 1. Yield, Value, Price Index, Grade Index and Agronomic Characteristics of Released Varieties Evaluated in the 1998 Official Flue-Cured Variety Test at the University of Georgia, Tifton, GA.

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Ht. (inch)	Days to Flower	% Total Alkaloids	% Reducing Sugars	Ratio RS/TA
NC 2326	1982	3218	162	43	15	32	62
NC 95	3136	4641	148	30	17	35	62
K326	3667	6376	174	66	18	33	81	3.48	9.6	2.76
Coker 371 Gold	2996	5230	175	67	16	32	76	4.47	8.4	1.88
K 149	2986	5007	168	56	17	32	80	3.89	7.1	1.83
K 346	2843	4835	170	54	18	35	81	4.17	9.0	2.16
K 394	3519	6205	176	68	18	33	81	3.55	14.8	4.17
K 730	2975	5124	172	59	18	33	81	3.78	12.0	3.17
K 399	3429	5760	167	52	19	34	81	3.84	9.3	2.42
K 358	3144	5287	168	51	17	32	64	3.47	10.1	2.91
NC 71	3335	56657	170	54	18	32	80	3.69	11.3	3.06
NC 72	3329	5802	174	65	18	34	68	3.46	11.1	3.21
NC 55	3329	5619	169	49	20	33	81	3.99	8.5	2.13
OX 207	3360	5829	174	61	18	34	78	3.55	14.5	4.08
RG 17	3450	6052	176	70	19	33	78	3.60	10.5	2.92
RG 11	3297	5560	168	55	18	34	76	4.28	9.3	2.17
RG 22	3403	5886	173	64	18	32	78	3.80	10.3	2.71
RG 81	3006	5091	169	53	17	32	79	4.14	8.5	2.05
RG H4	3022	4995	165	44	17	32	78	4.63	8.9	2.76

Table 1. Yield, Value, Price Index, Grade Index and Agronomic Characteristics of Released Varieties Evaluated in the 1998 Official Flue-Cured Variety Test at the University of Georgia, Tifton, GA (Continued).

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Ht. (inch)	Days to Flower	% Total Alkaloids	% Reducing Sugars	Ratio RS/TA
Speight G-70	2821	4655	165	45	16	32	68	3.48	13.7	3.94
Speight G-117	3025	5185	171	56	18	34	70	4.29	8.0	1.86
Speight G-126	2891	4953	172	70	17	33	79	3.94	11.1	2.82
Speight NF3	3102	5455	176	74	19	34	77	3.70	9.5	2.57
Speight 168	3345	5744	172	61	18	33	77	3.81	11.9	3.12
Speight 172	3012	4803	158	56	18	33	77	4.52	6.6	1.46
Speight 178	3588	6302	175	66	18	31	80	4.08	10.4	2.55
Speight 179	3039	5089	167	52	17	32	81	4.46	7.9	1.77
Speight 206*	3303	5635	171	57	18	34	80	3.63	10.1	2.78
Speight 208*	2980	5156	173	59	18	34	80	4.12	9.2	2.23
Speight 209*	3557	6260	176	69	16	33	72	3.26	11.0	3.37
Speight 210*	3356	5982	178	78	17	32	71	4.07	10.4	2.56
Speight 211*	3234	5617	174	61	17	33	79	3.20	12.5	3.91
Speight 212*	3625	6323	173	62	19	30	79	3.45	13.1	3.80
RG H61	2748	4569	166	55	16	32	82	4.06	8.9	2.19
RG H12	2949	5027	171	54	17	33	68	4.05	8.8	2.17
GL 939	2859	4962	173	64	17	32	66	3.47	12.0	3.46
OX 414NF	3689	5981	160	54	19	35	NF	3.07	11.8	3.84
RG 7H13*	3588	6233	174	63	17	36	69	3.53	11.5	3.26

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Ht. (inch)	Days to Flower	% Total Alkaloids	% Reducing Sugars	Ratio RS/TA
RG 7H5 *	3128	5195	166	57	17	33	67	3.80	9.8	2.58
RG 7G13*	3192	5274	165	45	17	34	79	4.54	7.9	1.74
RG 7G57*	3588	5625	157	51	18	33	78	3.98	10.8	2.71
LSD	694.6	1334.8	13.2	18.2

¹Price Index based on two year average (1997-1998) prices for U.S. government grades.
²Numerical values ranging from 1-99 for flue-cured tobacco based on equivalent government grades - higher the number, higher the grade.
* Unreleased Variety

Table 2. Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Released Varieties Evaluated in the 1998 Official Flue-Cured Tobacco Variety Test at the University of Georgia, Tifton, GA.

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Height inches	Days to Flower
	-----------------------Three Year Average 1996-1998-----------------------------------
NC 2326	2158	3423	164	46	16	35	76
NC 95	2451	3896	160	43	17	35	77
K 326	3179	5584	175	67	18	34	85
Coker 371 Gold	2398	4187	174	66	17	33	80
Speight G 70	2658	4559	171	53	17	34	80
K 346	2415	4076	166	56	18	35	86
K 394	2805	4901	174	63	17	34	84
K 149	2578 4442.2	4442	172	61	19	35	83
RG 11	2699	4667	173	63	17	35	83
Speight G 126	2531	4376	173	64	18	36	86
Speight G 117	2567	4440	172	57	19	35	81
RG H4	2699	4619	171	58	17	34	84
K 730	2696	4688	174	61	18	34	83
RG 81	2790	5036	173	64	18	34	86
OX 207	2913	4481	173	60	18	34	84
NC 71	3069	5309	173	61	18	34	83

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Height (inches)	Days to Flower
	-----------------------Three Year Average 1996-1998-----------------------------------
RG 22	2690	4675	173	65	18	34	81
	------------------------Two Year Average 1997-1998-----------------------------------
NC 2326	2019	3263	162	39	15	34	72
NC 95	2582	3999	156	34	16	34	73
K 326	3362	5866	174	67	18	33	85
Coker 371 Gold	2576	4479	174	66	16	33	80
Speight G 70	2894	4914	169	50	16	33	78
K 346	2524	4286	169	54	18	35	85
K 394	2941	5131	173	64	17	32	84
K 149	2827	4824	170	59	18	34	84
RG 11	2862	4880	170	61	17	34	82
Speight G 126	2612	4477	171	64	18	34	84
Speight G 117	2653	4544	171	55	18	34	79
RG H4	2699	4539	168	53	16	32	84
K 730	2901	5012	172	58	16	32	82
RG 81	2730	4677	171	61	17	32	84

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Height (inches)	Days to Flower
	------------------------Two Year Average 1997-1998-----------------------------------
OX 207	2758	4760	173	58	18	33	84
NC 71	3390	5810	171	56	18	34	82
RG 22	2923	5059	173	66	18	35	81
GL 939	2776	4829	174	63	18	34	75
NC 55	3068	5269	172	57	19	31	83
NC 72	2918	5066	173	62	18	35	76
Speight NF3	2506	4330	172	63	19	35	83
Speight 172	2719	4520	166	61	19	34	83

Conducted on an Ocilla loamy sand soil fertilized with 1000 lbs of 6-6-18 and plants spaced 20-21 inches in 44-inch rows.
¹Price Index based on two-year average (1997-1998) prices for U.S. government grades.
²Numerical values ranging from 1-99 for flue-cured tobacco based on equivalent grades - higher the number, higher the grade.
Researched by Stevan S. LaHue and M. G. Stephenson, under project S1-71 and supported by grants from the Georgia Tobacco Commission.

Table 3. Comparison of Certain Characteristics for Varieties Evaluated in the 1998 Regional Farm Flue Cured Tobacco Variety Test at the University of Georgia, Tifton, GA.

Variety	Yield lb/A	Value $/A	Price¹ Index $/CWT	Grade² Index	Number Leaves/ Plant	Plant Height (inches)	Days to Flower	% Total Alkaloids	% Reducing Sugars	Ratio RS/TA
NC 2326	2394	3840	160	37	18	35	62	4.6	7.6	1.65
NC 95	3076	4715	154	34	18	36	72	4.4	9.7	2.20
CU 468	3192	5237	163	40	18	34	72	4.1	11.6	2.84
PV H03	3165	5291	168	45	17	35	68	3.7	7.5	2.04
NC TG 97	2782	4650	167	47	19	34	81	3.8	8.4	2.22
NC TG 100	3202	5507	172	64	19	34	72	3.5	10.9	3.09
PV H09	2928	4778	163	43	18	36	68	4.4	5.1	1.17
RG 4H217	2801	4683	167	47	17	32	63	3.5	8.9	2.57
RG 5H17	3715	6227	168	48	20	36	64	3.8	8.1	2.09
Speight 196	2600	4298	165	48	17	35	70	3.9	9.8	2.46
OX 6069	3467	6021	173	67	19	34	80	4.3	10.1	2.34
Speight 190	3657	6102	167	49	19	35	80	4.2	7.7	1.86
PV H08	3604	6071	168	51	18	35	68	4.3	11.1	2.59
CU 561	3271	5375	164	40	18	39	74	3.8	10.6	2.77
LSD -0.05	978.5	1673.4	7.1	14.9

Table 4. Disease Resistance of Selected Released Tobacco Varieties
Variety	Black Shank	Granville Wilt	Southern Root-Knot Nematode	Tobacco Mosaic Virus
Coker 319	L	L	S	S
Coker 371 Gold	H	M	S	S
CU 263	L	L	RES	S
GL 939	L-M	H	RES	S
K 149	M	H	RES	S
K 326	L	M	RES	S
K 340	M	M	S	S
K 346	M	M	RES	S
K 358	L	H	RES	S
K 394	M	L	S	S
K 399	M	H	RES	S
K 730	L	H	RES	S
McNair 944	M	L	S	S
NC 27 NF	L	L	RES	S
NC 37 NF	L	L	RES	S
NC 55	L	L	RES	S (PVY, Etch)
NC 60	M-H	M	RES	S
NC 71	H	M	RES	S
NC 72	H	L	RES	S
NC 82	M	M	S	S
NC 95	L	H	RES	S
NC 567	L	L	RES (Cyst)	RES
NC 729	L	L	S	S
NC 2326	L	L	S	S
OX 207	H	H	RES	S
OX 940	M-H	M	S	S
RG 11	L	M	RES	S
RG 17	L	M	RES	S
RG 22	L	M	RES	S
RG 81	L	L	RES	S
RGH 4	M	H	RES	RES
RGH12	M	M	RES	S
RGH 61	M	L	RES	S
Speight G-28	M	M	RES	S
Speight G-70	M	M	RES	S
Speight G-108	M	M	RES	S
Speight G-102	M	L	RES	S
Speight G-111	M	M	RES	S
Speight G-117	L-M	L-M	RES	S
Speight G-126	M	M	RES	S
Speight G-168	H	H	RES	S
Speight G-172	H	M	RES	S
Speight G-178	L	H	RES	S
Speight G-179	H	H	RES	S
Speight G-NF3	H	H	RES	S
¹L = Low to no resistance; M = Moderate to fair resistance; H = High resistance.^{2 RES = Resistant; S = Susceptible; ? = Specific Resistance Not Determined FUSARIUM WILT There appears to be a great variation among varieties to Fusarium wilt. However, we do not have sufficient data to make recommendations. Root-knot nematode resistant varieties may help in that root-knot tends to increase Fusarium Wilt.}

Table 5. Yield, Grade Index, Price Index and Value per Acre of the 1997-1998 Newly Available Varieties, CPES, Bowen Farm, Tifton.
Variety	Yield	Grade Index¹	Price Index²	Value
	lb/A	1-99	$/lb	$/A
GL 939	2859	64	1.73	4962
NC 71	3335	54	1.70	5665
NC 72	3329	65	1.74	5802
OX 207	3360	61	1.74	5829
RGH 12	2949	54	1.71	5027
Speight 168	3345	61	1.72	5744
Speight 172	3012	56	1.72	5744
Speight 178	3588	66	1.75	6302
Speight 179	3039	52	1.67	5089
Speight NF3	3102	74	1.76	5455
K 326	3667	66	1.74	6376
¹ Grade Index is a numerical value ranging from 1-99 for flue-cured tobacco based on equivalent grades - the higher the number, the higher the grade.
² Price Index is based on a two-year floating average (1997-1998) prices for U.S. government grades.

Table 6. Disease Resistance of Newly Released Tobacco Varieties
Variety	Black Shank	Granville Wilt	Southern Root-Knot Nematode	Tobacco Mosaic Virus
GL 939	M	H	RES	S
NC 71	H	M	RES	S
NC 72	H	L	RES	S
OX 207	H	H	RES	S
RG 81	L	L	RES	S
Speight 168	H	H	RES	S
Speight 172	H	M	RES	S
Speight 178	L	H	RES	S
Speight 179	H	H	RES	S
Speight NF3	M	H	RES	S
^{1 L = Low to no resistance; M = Moderate to fair resistance; H = High resistance. ^{2 RES = Resistant; S = Susceptible; ? = Specific Resistance Not Determined. Fusarium Wilt: There appears to be a great variation among varieties to Fusarium wilt. However, we do not have sufficient data to make recommendations. Root-knot nematode resistant varieties may help in that root-knot tends to increase Fusarium wilt.}}

Table 7. Pedigree, Year of Release and Sponsor of Selected Varieties.
Variety	Yr Rel.	Pedigree			Sponsor
Coker 371 Gold	1986	(G-28X354) X (CB139XF-105)(G-28X34) X NC82			GL
GL 939	1992	McNair 926 X 80241 [G-28X354])McNair 399			GL
K 149	1988	([G-28X354] X [CB-139XF-105] X [G-28X354])McNair 399			GL
K 326	1981	McNair 225(McNair30 X NC95)			GL
K 346	1988	McNair 926 X 80241			GL
K 358	1987	McNair 926 X 80241			GL
K 730	1989	McNair 926 X 80241			GL
K 394	1983	Speight G-28 X McNair 944			GL
K 399	1979	(C-139 X C-319) X NC 95			GL
NC 27 NF	1985	(C-319 X NC TG-21) X C-319			NC
NC 37 NF	1987	(C-319 X NC TG-21) X NC 82			NC
NC 55	1994	(K 326 X DH 1220) X (K 326 X Coker 371 Gold			NC/GL
NC 60	1985	McNair 944 X Speight G-28			NC
NC 71	1995	F1 Hybrid			NC/RK
NC 72	1996	F1 Hybrid			NC/RK
NC 82	1978	6129 X C-319			NC
NC 95	1961	(C-139 X Bel.4-30) X (C-139XHicks)			NC
NC 2326	1965	(Hicks X 9102)(Hicks)Hicks)Hicks)			NC
OX 207	1995	Coker 219 X K 399			OX
OX 940	1992	(G-28 X Coker 347) X Coker 48			OX
RG 11	1991	NC 50 X K 399			RG
RG 17	1993	K 326 X K 399			RG
RG 22	1990	McNair 373 X Coker 51			RG
RG 81	1994	K 326 X K 399			RG
RG 89	1992	K 326 X Coker 319 X Coker 411			RG
RGH 4	1994	Hybrid			RG
RGH 12	1999	Hybrid			RG
RGH 61	1995	F1 Hybrid			RG
Speight G-70	1978	C-258 X VA 115 X G-10			SPT
Speight G-108	1986	G-70 X G-28			SPT
Speight G-111	1991	G-85 X G-14			SPT
Speight G-117	1990	C-176 X G-102			SPT
Speight G-126	1992	K 326 X G-96			SPT
Speight G-168	1996	Coker 371G X Spt G 118			SPT
Speight G-172	1996	Coker 371G X Spt G 126			SPT
Speight G-178	1997	RG8 X G117			SPT
Speight G-179	1997	C371G X SPG-28			SPT
Speight G-NF3	1996	Speight NF 1 X NC 0007			SPT
VA 116	1989	NC 82 X C-319			VA
GL NC OX RK	Gold Leaf Seed Co. N.C. Agric. Research Service N.C. Agric. Res. Service (Oxford) F. W. Rikard Seeds		RG SPT VA	R. G. Seed Company Speight Seed Farms Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 18 and June 30, 1914, The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

Gale A. Buchanan, Dean and Director

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension Service

1998 Tobacco Variety Information

New Varieties for 1999

Variety Selection

1998 Official Flue-Cured Variety Test

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
Cooperative Extension Service