xt7ffb4wjp90 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ffb4wjp90/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_520 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 520 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 520  2014 true xt7ffb4wjp90 section xt7ffb4wjp90 - S
  PREVENT LOSS FROM
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fe¤‘fillZ‘ Circular 520 A li ` V ` ‘
Bull 4824 C°°Per¤tive Extension Work in Agriculture ond Home Economics ·
College of Agriculture ond Home Economics _ J
1011-1-as University of Kentucky I
and the
U. S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating ‘
FRANK J. WELCH, Director
Issued in furtherance of The Acts of May 8 and June 30, l9l4. iv
~ . J

 V i SUMMARY
l
i To prevent loss from black shank
l
l l. Place the plant bed on clean land that is not likely to be can-
i taminated by road water, wash from infested land, or wash from the my
‘ tobacco barn or barnlot. dm
2. Grow tobacco on land that has never had black shank on it, and lm
{ that is not likely to become infested by running water from roads, infested l)l§*
l fields, or any other source. Wi?
_ lz "
3. Prepare the bed and the tobacco field with tools that have been tl;
t thoroughly cleaned, so that the black shank fungus will not be introduced _
, U
i on clods of dirt. mb
r. im
4. lf you trade labor or tools with your neighbors, be sure that all g be
. tools are thoroughly clean before moving from one farm to another, and me,
’ be sure no dirt is carried from one farm to another on men’s shoes or on ph
l the hoofs of animals or in any other way.
5. For watering the beds and for setting tobacco, use water that has
no chance of contamination with the black shank fungus. Water from
creeks and rivers is not safe. Shi]
6. lf any black shank plants do develop, remove them with all of the in
roots possible and drench the spot thoroughly with l-400 nabam solution- lost
7. Do not allow a field to become heavily infested with the bl¤Cl< WC
shank fungus by growing tobacco in infested ground or by leaving infecléd l)l`*
plants and roots in the field. Remove them as completely as possible. ON
» . sl ia
8. Manure, tobacco stalks, and the machinery used in spreading I
manure are all likely sources of black shank infection on a farm where [
black shank is already present. Therefore do not use manure or tools lu,
that have been used in the barnlot on land to be put in tobacco. 9“
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Prevent Less From Bleek Shenk of
Tobacco r
By J. W. Irvine and W. D. Valleau
le con- Results in the statewide efforts of Kentucky tobacco growers
nm the to stop losses from black shank have been spectacular and have
demonstrated that a careful farmer who has enough land so that
it and he can change the location of his tobacco from year to year if
nfgsted black shank develops, has little to fear from the disease. No sat-
isfactory way has yet been found, however, to prevent losses on
b farms where there is only one plot of ground satisfactory for
mdui;3 tobacco, and this infected with the black shank fungus. Drench—
0 . . . . . .
F in with nabam solution has Jroved effective in Jreventm carr ‘-
g 1 1 Y
over when only a few diseased plants develop. The roots should
llml °ll " he carefully removed, and the soil thoroughly drenched. This
‘°'# °"d treatment cannot be recommended where there are many affected
as °r lm plants or in heavily infected fields.
rhor has Clean Land and Clean Tools the Solution
ncl from Reports were gathered in 1952 on 1,183 farms that had black
shank losses in 1951 but where tobacco was planted on clean land'
II ofthe in 1952. On 932 of these farms, or 79 of each 100, there was no
solution. loss whatever from black shank in 1952. Similar reports were
`Q bmi "°€€lV€d in 1953 from 959 farms that had losses from black shank
' fected previousl but where tobacco was Jlanted on clean land in 1953.
in Y l
ssible. On 84 percent, or 801, of these farms, there was no loss from black
ding shank in 1953.
reu _
p Where black shank did occur on clean land, usuall r onlv a
m where . 1 ~
or mls low plants were affected. VVhere tobacco was grown in 1952 or
p' 1953 on land where losses occurred the year before, losses were
sometimes heav ‘ in s site of the drouth that occurred in most of
Y 1
the state during those years. V
. lB)’ clean land is meant land that has never had a black—shank-infected crop Q
tal tobacco on it. Reports from counties with a long history of black shank suggest
llllll SUNW of the growers moved from a recently infested Held to one where there ,
mm fl C?lITy·()V€I` of tl'lC (liS€;lS€ l`-I`0lTl {II] lI'lf€Ct€d CI`()p SOTTIG y€3l`S })I`€VlOUSly, 1lYl(l i
"' liuletl to get control. .

 i ' , 1
if 1 _, 5
  v
1
1 1 The effectiveness of using clean land and clean tools and of
Q 1 Q ’ following other practices to prevent the spread of the disease has ml.
. been clearly demonstrated. PG]
1 ' _ it f·
I- ` Occurrences and Losses from Black Shank in Kentucky, 1950-19531 lg
t < 1950 1951 1952 1953 l
' Nll1l1l)Cf of C()llI1tlL"S l'CD()l`tll`lg lll
f , black shank .........................,.... 39 62 58 55 th,]
g Number of farms reporting ‘
black shank .............................. 743 1725 1188 872 (mi
· Estimated loss of income I  
from black shank .........r _ ............ . ..... $452,740 $187,385 $118,235 ¢l '
Number of farmers moving from thc
infected fields to clean land .... . ..... . ....... 1183 959
  Percent of above farmers who effec- tha
s tively controlled black shank .... . ..... . ....... 79'12 8-1"7 to
How Long Does the Black Shank Fungus _
1 Remain in the Soil? ‘“
1 H _ _ _ _ ani
;_ lwo years ago there was no definite information as to how gf
long the black shank fungus would remain in the soil after a dis- · in
1 eased crop. ln 1952 and 1953, studies were made of carry-ou·1‘ pm
1 in fields out of tobacco from 1 to G years following a severe out- fm
' break of black shank.
One year without tobacco was not long enough to get rid of W
the disease on any one of 13 fields studied. Losses were recorclvil kw
on these 13 fields where the loss previously in all but 2 was from
20 to 90 percent, with an average loss in the 13 fields of 37 percent- WH
One year without tobacco reduced the loss to an average of lv mf
percent. · W
Two years Without tobacco gave variable results. Losses \\`€l'1` um
recorded on 11 fields where the loss previously ranged from 51** im
66 percent. In 4 of the fields there were 0, 1, 4, and 54 plants.
respectively, that developed black shank after 2 years witliout
tobacco. ln another field the loss dropped from 50 to 1.6 per-
cent; while in the other fields losses were 2, 6, 17.6, 21, 37. uml att
-80 percent. In half of the fields a commercially satisfactory CW T],
VVHS gl`()VVl1, 11111 t11€ loss 111 tl]€ Otl1€1'S WLIS t()() gl'(;‘§lt tt) \‘VLl1'l·1l1l1 lm
taking a chance on land only 2 years without tobacco. er]
l rl`llU5C f1glll`€S ilI`C l)ilSC(l 011 iIl]S\V€I`S to il (1ll(JSfl()l`lflLl1I`(j S€I]f to L'U1Ull-Y fllfffliff Shi
and filled out by them. ln some eases their answers were based on actual f<‘<`*)1f’i rr
in Others, on estimates. Enough accurate records were obtained to il1(lll'i11**1l‘* .
[110 (‘S1f1l1t1l(*S \\’Cl'C L'()l1SCTViltfV(‘. ml

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-` 5
Hd of Three years without tobacco was studied on 19 fields that
S6 11118 ranged in loss from 1 to 95 percent with an average loss of 47
percent. After three years without tobacco the losses ranged from
a few plants in each of six fields (1, 1, 1, 2, 11, 22 plants lost) to
I _ 19 percent, with an average loss of 3.6 percent in the 19 fields.
1903 In 12 of the 19 fields the loss was 4 percent or less, which means
55 that it is relatively safe to plant a field with tobacco that has been
872 out of tobacco 3 years, particularly if one is willing to remove
,18,235 affected plants at the first sign of black shank and drench the spot
959 thoroughly with nabam solution in order to prevent spread from
` that point and reduce carry—over. The field should again be sowed
8411 to grass for at least a three—year period.
Four years without tobacco was studied on 11 fields. Losses.
in 1948 had ranged from 1 percent in two fields to between 1()»
and 99 percent in the other 9 fields, with an average loss in the·
:0 ll(l“i 9 fields of 31 percent. In 1953 the losses were as follows: none
l` 21 (hs, I in 3 fields, 8 plants or less in 4 fields, and 1.7, 3.2, 5.5, and 5.7
"Y“°"°l percent loss in the other four fields. The average loss after the-
fm (mf four years without tobacco on the 11 fields was 1.5 percent.
Five years without tobacco was studied on two fields, and 6-
f rid Ol years without tobacco on one field. The losses after 5 and 6 years
’C"':°l°(l . were 1 plant, 40 plants, and no loss respectively}
**5 {mm It is evident from these studies that a rotation on infested soil
)€l·°8“€ with tobacco not oftener than once in 5 years should be relatively
9 of 10 Safe. On some soils tobacco once in 4 years, or even once in 3
V years would be safe and should eventually result in the disappear-
Cs lim Hllee of the fungus from the farm. But a farmer would have to
9*130: learn from experience the length of rotation safe for his soil. 8
p au ..
“’ltl“’"l Varieties of Burley Resistant to Black Shank
1·6P“‘“ Fer several years the Virginia Experiment Station has been
BT at iltiemptiiig to develop burley varieties resistant to black shank.
WY WP Tllc Kentucky Experiment Station has cooperated in this work,
""*lmmt l1¥¤`liClllzi1‘ly in testing the quality of the strains. These varieties, 7
called W .B.R. series, have been tested by farmers in the black
HP    areas with variable results. Selections from the Virginia `
  that i ··ijiiQ`a.rr1it·$ on longevity were made by E. M. johnson and will be reported F l
H detail elsewhere. _

 T! i   T
  1
1; 1
  i 1 fi
l     varieties have been made by the Tennessee Station at Greene- with
* 1 i   ville, and 2 of these, Burley 11A and 11B will be released in of w
_ lh   1954 according to press announcements. ment
l, i From studies on the VV.B.R. series and Burley 11A and 11}% remt
l i it is evident that these moderately resistant varieties will not be soon
l r satisfactory on heavily infested soils or where one wishes to grow carei
e   tobacco continuously on the same land. The best of these re ainoi
l sistant varieties sustained a loss of 60 percent in 1953 in heavily then
` infested soil. They will be of value in a rotation which gives sliov
an opportunity for the fungus to largely disappear from the soil ing z
i1 between crops. even
l According to the figures given in the preceding pages on and
length of time required for disappearance of the fungus, it is
j obvious that, in half the fields studied, two years out of tobacco
  would enable the resistant varieties to be grown satisfactorily. Q
W while they should be successful in most fields out of tobacco3 thc;
or more years. The resistant varieties have not been satisfactor) of a
1 on infested soils high in lime. bacc
i In the Kentucky Experiment Station breeding program an Wm
1 attempt is being made to transfer what appears to be an innnune high
factor from the wild species Nicotiana Zongiflora to burley and will
dark tobaccos. In 1953 the resistant segregates survived with no Wih
sign of black shank injury in a field where the best of the straim hmd
derived from the VV.B.R. series died 60 percent. This highly r<‘· hmg
sistant material will be tested in the black shank areas of the stair may
as soon as satisfactory strains are available. From present Nt high
formation it appears probable that the longiflora type of 1·csistaiit1<1 ih tl
will allow varieties containing it to be grown continuously **1*
heavily infested soils. L
(
D0n't Allow Lund to Become Heavily Ihfested as (1
The more crops of tobacco grown on a piece of land infested cent
with black shank, the more heavily the soil will become loaded velo
with spores of the fungus and the longer it will take to get rid soil
of l1llCIU. TllC1`CfO1‘€, on the very first appeargpee ef the diSC11$l‘· IOW
remove the diseased plants as soon as they can be recognizem€· SMU
times starts at the old bed site. It may, therefore, be safer nel thc
to plow old bed sites for cropping tobacco. (hm
Precautions Against Contamination of the New Field Mlm
The black shank fungus is carried in running water but alse
in elods of dirt on shoes or horses’ hoofs, and in dirt clinging l‘* Y
all kinds of machinery including the manure spreader and ani- that

 f
9
ne inals’ feet or tractor used to pull the spreader. Manure can also
mt he a potent source of infection and so manure should not be used
gg- for tobacco on a farm where black shank is present. To prevent
ass contamination of a new field, it is necessary that all tools that
*ed have been used in a black shank field or in a barnlot be cleaned
rar of dirt as thoroughly as possible before preparing the new plant
iaii hed and the new field. Thorough soaking of tools with 1-400
he- nabam solution should be helpful, provided all soil masses on the
ars tools are thoroughly wetted.
cid It is so important that the machinery be clean that a farmer
ziils can afford to give careful thought to the best methods to be used
under his conditions. It is better to do the cleaning on a grass
T plot rather than in a tobacco barn or in a barnyard where the tools
may be contaminated again by the dirt left on the ground, and
it is also better to do the cleaning as near the old infested field
(lim as possible so as not to distribute dirt from the black shank field
iop over the farm. It would be highly desirable for each farmer to
gig make a practice of cleaning all of his machinery in the fall before
Md storage for winter, so that this work need not be done when the
and weather is satisfactory for plowing and fixing the ground.
  Selection of a Site for the Tobacco Bed
[bc I `There is danger, on a farm where black shank occurs, that
{ to lllf¢‘StG(l soil may be carried to the plant bed site during the pull-
gm- mg season. It may, therefore, be safer to choose a new site each
mm Nvur. The tobacco bed should be placed where it will receive
{bc H0 drainage from a black shank field and where dirt from the
pnch l>&1l‘nyard or tobacco barn is not likely to be carried to it on the t
jc is lvct of animals or men. It should be located where it can be
gmc- ¤‘<*uclied without walking across a black shank Held. The bed r
not Sllould be prepared with clean tools. If watering is necessary,
thc water should be from a cistern, well, spring, a pond that
does not receive drainage from a black shank field, or a city water
Eid $“1’Pl>s not Streain or river Watele A
also Grow Your Own Tobacco Plants
ig W Make your plant bed large enough and care for it well, so
ani- that you will not need to get plants from another farm. In case 0

 J r T ,
{_   io
  .   of a plant bed failure in a black shank area in Kentucky, a grower
l T Q would be much safer t0 go to a black-shank—free area for plants
{ T i   but should take every precaution not to carry black shank to the B
T i farm from which he gets the plants. mlm]
Q, I   kinds
[   Setting the Crop Etc
i   Make every effort to see that all tools used in setting are as kickg
i clean as possible before beginning work, particularly if they are yisjtq
p borrowed tools that have been used on a black shank farm. The [1
grower should see that the shoes of the setters are free from clods shoul
E of dirt before entering the field, particularly if the setters arc a far
T hired labor from a farm where black shank was present the year shoul
before. Black shank can be introduced in setting water if it is to er
. taken from an infested creek or river. Pond water, if the pond T
  receives no drainage from a black shank field, cistern water, to far
if spring water, and water from town or city water supplies should PMA
be safe to use. The
· who
i Tobacco Stalks and Barn Sweepings  
Tobacco stalks and bam Swggpjngs from Z1 mack Shank cl-Op ICQM
should not be used as bedding and should not be put on the tlreg
manure pile. They may be burned or put on grassland that docs ovcre
not drain onto land that is to be used for tobacco or into a creek lcari
or river, if such land is available; or they may be put back, dar-
ing a dry period, on the field from which they came if it has been
sown to permanent grass. B
lradl
Black Shank and Irrigation n]iSt(
Tobacco beds should not be watered from creeks or r·ix·er‘s. drors
as at that time of the year the water is likely to be contaminattll with
It is also probably dangerous to irrigate tobacco fields soon after the w
setting the crop, particularly if the water is high. However, at sumr
the low stage of rivers during a drouth, when irrigation is parti- K g`
cularly valuable, it is probable that the water is free from corr- I
tamination and safe to use for irrigation. ml

 F
11
.6, Visiting, Trading Labor and Tools, ·
tx and Measuring Tobacco Acreage
he Black shank can be carried from one farm to another on shoes,
automobile tires and fenders, on the floor of a car, and on all
kinds of machinery. Visitors from black shank farms, when visit-
ing other farms, should first be sure that their shoes are free from
dirt and that clods of dirt are not on the floorboard ready to be
as kicked out when they get out of the car. As an added precaution,
ire visitors should stay entirely away from the tobacco field.
`he In areas where labor and tools are traded, the greatest of care
ids should be taken to see that all tools are clean before they leave
are a farm; and the farmer on whose farm the tools are to be used
ear should assure himself that they arc clean before he allows them
t is to enter his farm.
ind There is danger that black shank can be carried from farm
ter, to farm by those who measure tobacco acreage for ASC (formerly
uld PMA) although we have no evidence that this has occurred.
The PMA has recognized this danger and has instructed those
who do the measuring to make measurements of fields infested
with black shank outside of the field to avoid carrying dirt from
infested fields. Those who measure have also been warned to
=1`0P leave infested farms until the last and then to measure only when
tht? the ground is dry. Another suggestion is that the measurers wear
loes overshoes or boots which may be removed and washed before
eek k·zu‘iug the farm}
lur-
ieeii _
How to Recognize Black Shank
Black shank causes tobacco plants to look as though they
had been drowned; and many growers, in the wet season of 1950,
mistook a few plants that were dying from black shank for
tiers, (ll`0Wl1€d plants, only to put the field back in tOl)zlcCO 111 1951,
ited. with heavy loss. The fungus that causes black shank lives through
After The Winter in the soil and attacks tobacco any time during the
1.) at summer. —
»a1‘ti· g
CON- MMI  August 9, 1951, State PMA Committee to cliziiririim of county _
` ‘ (TCS.

 r ’    
I`   12
  ,   The first signs of the disease are a slight wilting, followed by
  Q i the lower leaves turning bright yellow and hanging down the
i i   stalk. At the early wilting stage it.may be necessary to cut into
i the underground base of the stalk to {ind the blackened, diseased
i Y i area; while later the roots usually will be found to be dead and
E i a black rot may have spread up the stalk for several inches. lf
i ? the stalk is split, the rot will usually be found to have entered
{   the pith, which is dark and separated into disks. G
i i  
i
i L€XlHgt()l1, K€Iltl\Cky
jauuiary, l954
Coupe
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