Sucker Control Trials

• The Regional Sucker Control Trials are conducted under the auspices of the Regional Growth Regulator Committee of the Tobacco Worker’s Conference. Treatments proposed by the committee were treatments 1-7. Treatment 8 was added for this study only. A sprayer malfunction on treatment 2 produced results that were not characteristic of the past performance of this treatment. Treatments 3 (MH at 1.5 gal/a), 4 (Royal MH-30 at 1.5 gal/a + Flupro at 0.5 gal/a), & 5 (Royal MH-30 at 1.5 gal/a + Butralin at 0.5 gal/a) were all excellent treatments. Both the Off-shoot T followed by Off-shoot T + Butralin at 0.5 gal/a & Off-shoot T followed by Off-shoot T + Butralin at 1 gal/a were acceptable, but not as clean as treatments 3-5. Butralin at 1 gal/a by itself was as good as when Off-shoot T was added. All Treatments were made with a West Texas Lee high clearance sprayer using a three nozzle arrangement in a TG-3 – TG-5 – TG-3 configuration and an application volume of 60 gal/a. Applicator speed was 2.4 mph at 30 psi. Plots were 55 ft by 2 rows (42” rows) in a randomized complete block design with four replications.

Regional Sucker Control Treatments*

  1st Treatment (Elongated Bud) 2nd Treatment (At topping – 10-25% bloom)

1 Untreated Check

2 Royal MH-30 (2 gal/a)

3 Royal MH-30 (1.5 gal/a)

4 Royal MH-30 (1.5 gal/a + Flupro 0.5 gal/a)

5 Royal MH-30 (1.5 gal/a + Butralin 0.5 gal/a)

6 Off-shoot T (3%) Off-shoot T (4%) + Butralin (0.5 gal/a)

7 Butralin (1 gal/a)

8 Off-shoot T (3%) Off-shoot T (4%) +Butralin (1 gal/a)

* 60 gal/a at 2.4 mph and 30 psi using a West Texas Lee high clearance sprayerTreatments were scheduled for 5 days apart but were applied 7 days apart due to weather

Comparison of Sucker Control Treatments at Two Weeks after Application

UK Spindletop Farm

0

45

96.25 10091.25

60

77.5

32

81.25

0

20

40

60

80

100

%

(MH= Royal MH-30, F=Flupro, B=Butralin,) in (gal) O=Off-Shoot-T in (%), UTC=untreated check, fb=followed by at 7 days. *=Sprayer malfunctioned

The Effects of Sucker Treatment on Sucker Number per Plant

UK Spindletop Farm

6.875

3.425

0.4 0.35 0.3

2.1

0.675

1.94

0.675

0

2

4

6

8

10Suckers/Plant

(MH= Royal MH-30, F=Flupro, B=Butralin,) in (gal) O=Off-Shoot-T in (%),

UTC=untreated check fb=followed by at 7 days. *=Sprayer malfunctioned

The Effects of Sucker Treatment on Sucker Weight

UK Spindletop Farm

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

(g)

Wt/plt 522.5 216.62 9.38 3.87 6.38 92.13 182.38 77.38 164.86

Wt/Sucker 76.68 38.25 18.13 20.4 14.85 162 84.38 101.83 53.46

UTC MH2* MH1.5MH1.5

F.5MH1.5

B.5O3fbO4

B.5B1

O3fbO4 B1

LSD

(MH= Royal MH-30, F=Flupro, B=Butralin,) in (gal) O=Off-Shoot-T in (%),

UTC=untreated check, fb=followed by at 7 days. *=Sprayer malfunctioned

MH Free Trials

• Treatments with MH produced 100% control. However, results from Off-shoot T at 4% followed by a tank mix of Off-shoot T + Butralin at 1 gal/a followed by Butralin at 1 gal/a were close to those containing MH. The results from this treatment (5) were not statistically better than treatments 2, 4, 6, & 7. A 3% concentration of Off-shoot T applied before topping did not perform as well as a 4% concentration. All Treatments were made with a West Texas Lee high clearance sprayer using a three nozzle arrangement in a TG-3 – TG-5 – TG-3 configuration and an application volume of 60 gal/a. Applicator speed was 2.4 mph at 30 psi. Plots were 30 ft by 2 rows (42” rows) in a

randomized complete block design with four replications.

MH Free Trails Treatments

1st Treatment (Elongated Bud)

2nd Treatment At topping ( 10-25% bloom)

3rd Treatment5 days post top

1 Off-Shoot T 3% Off-Shoot T 4% Butralin 1

2 Off-Shoot T 4% Off-Shoot T 4% Butralin 1

3 Off-Shoot T 4% Butralin 1

4 Off-Shoot T 4% Off-Shoot T 4%+Butralin 1

5 Off-Shoot T 4% Off-Shoot T 4%+Butralin 1 Butralin 1

6 Off-Shoot T 4% Flupro 1 Butralin 1

7 Off-Shoot T 4% Butralin Butralin 1

8 Off-Shoot T 4% Royal MH 1.5

9 Off-Shoot T 4% Butralin 0.5+Royal MH1.5

10 Untreated Check

* 60 gal/a at 2.4 mph and 30 psi using a West Texas Lee high clearance sprayerTreatments were applied 5 days apart

MH Free TrialsComparison of Sucker Control Treatments

UK Coldstream Farm

89.596.5

9095.75 99.75 93.5 100 100

05.83

97.75

0

20

40

60

80

100

%

(MH= Royal MH-30, F=Flupro, B=Butralin,) in (gal) O=Off-Shoot-T in (%),

UTC=untreated check (-) followed by at 5 days.

MH Free TrialsThe Effects of Sucker Treatment

on Sucker Number per Plant UK Coldstream Farm

1.630.54 0.96 0.75

0.08 0.38 0.00 0.00

5.63

1.99

0.210.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00Suckers/Plant

(MH= Royal MH-30, F=Flupro, B=Butralin,) in (gal)

UTC=untreated check O=Off-Shoot-T in (%), (-) followed by at 5 days

MH Free TrialsThe Effects of Sucker Treatment

on Sucker Weight UK Coldstream Farm

0

100

200

300

(g)

Wt/plt 97.3 17.5 47.5 48.8 1.9 13.8 13.3 0.0 0.0 300.0 69.9

Wt/Sucker 63.8 37.5 43.9 36.2 5.6 61.7 34.4 0.0 0.0 63.6 49.2

O3-O4-B1

O4-O4-B1

O4-B1O4-

O4+B1

O4-O4+B1-

B1

O4-F1-B1

O4-B1-B1

O4-MH1.5

O4-B1+MH

1.5UTC

LSD 0.05

(MH= Royal MH-30, F=Flupro, B=Butralin,) in (gal) O=Off-Shoot-T in (%),

UTC=untreated check, (-) followed by at 5 days.

MH-Free Nozzle Study

• Application technique changed a MH-Free sucker control program from unsuccessful to successful. Nozzle size was studied as part of the overall application technique trial. While a rundown method is known to work successfully, mechanical application has proven difficult to achieve acceptable results. All treatments were applied with a CO2 backpack with an over-the –shoulder two row boom. Plots were 40 ft by 2 rows (42” rows) in a randomized complete block design with four replications.

• Treatments consisted of 4% Off-shoot T at elongated bud followed by a combination of Off-shoot T at 4 % plus Butralin at 1 gal /a.

Effects of Nozzle Size on Sucker Control

  Nozzles Arrangement PSI MPH Gal

1 TG-3 - TG-5 - TG-3 30 2 60

2 TG-3 - TG-5 - TG-3 30 3 50

3 TG-5 - TG-5 - TG-5 30 3 60

4 TG-5 - TG-6 - TG-5 30 3 60

Effects of Nozzle Size on Sucker Control

0

20

40

60

80

100

3-5-3 (60) 3-5-3 (50) 5-5-5 (60) 5-6-5 (60) LSD 0.05

Nozzles (Gal/a)

% Control

All Nozzles were TG full cone nozzles

Effects of Nozzle Size on Sucker per Plant

0.225 0.2 0.1750.125 0.147

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

3-5-3 (60) 3-5-3 (50) 5-5-5 (60) 5-6-5 (60) LSD 0.05

Nozzles (Gal/a)

Suckers per Plant

All Nozzles were TG full cone nozzles