Suckers in Broadleaf/CT Shade. Why so suckery?

[Skinnerfarms]

So today we are plowing, last layby, CT Broad and CT Shade, and it is super duper sucker-y. I grew a few crops of flue, but this is a totally different animal. I guess I should give more background, SE North Carolina, attempting to farm 1 acre of wrapper/Binder. Why? Because it is extremely interesting, and the entire concept of growing wrappers fascinates me. This is 3rd attempt, and is going pretty well, thanks to throwing money at it.

But to the point, in flue we always had suckers post top UNLESS we had herbicide or bug damage. I have pythium damage (because I was cheap/too Late with the terramaster, and stayed 100% on label so I could pass FDA muster). I hit the ground with 1lb of Ridomil Gold, but thats for the dirt not the plants. Plants have had a shot of Lannate and Quadris Top. It's time for something else, maybe 10% bug damage. But no wire worm damage in the field, no black shank etc.

So, are these varieties being peddled just this far from commercial that they get lots of suckers?
Ill surely be posting again. Wow I'm going to lose so much money on this. fun fun fun.

Sorry if picture is tiny and sideways

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. You've got your hands full. I'm not familiar with many of the commercial chemicals that you're using, so I can't offer much comment on that.

As for suckering with specific varieties,

Go to the GRIN database here: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/search.aspx

Search for: nicotiana tabacum connecticut broadleaf

As you can see, there are quite a few accessions of CT Broadleaf.

If you click on each listed accession, and then open its Detailed Accession Observation Page, tendency to sucker is listed among many other measured traits.

I've never found that suckering data to be particularly useful, since there are numerous factors that determine the tendency of any variety to sucker prior to topping.

Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself section of the forum. If you enter your general location within your profile, it will appear with each of your posts, and will be helpful in understanding your growing questions.

Bob

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I can't help you with this year's crop but I "bred out" suckering on some Samsun-Maden years ago. I grew about 20 or so plants for about 4 years. Each year I saved seeds from the plant producing the least amount of suckers. After about the 4th year my next crop had almost no suckers (compared to all the other varieties).

 

[skychaser]

I can't help you with this year's crop but I "bred out" suckering on some Samsun-Maden years ago. I grew about 20 or so plants for about 4 years. Each year I saved seeds from the plant producing the least amount of suckers. After about the 4th year my next crop had almost no suckers (compared to all the other varieties).

I did the same with Harrow Velvet. I grew 200+ about 7 years ago and took seed from the 20 best and suckerless plants. Did the same for the next few seasons from 80-100 plants. Haven't had a sucker on any now for 2 years. When I grew CT Broadleaf, it had a lot of suckers. A few years of selective breeding could really improve it.

 

[Skinnerfarms]

probably too late to make much of a difference now, I sent a flock of mexicans across twice. What suckers?. lol But sucker number 2 is coming out. I could probably hit it with alcohol at this point and burn em. So nervous Ill screw up the leaf. Hornworms working on me. Sprayed some Besiege and its got em dying, but they still have to hatch and eat to die. that 51 day PHI tho... Next round maybe Orthene followed with coragen. Getting a little yellow, alot of rain here, Nitrogen leaching a little quick. May need a little shot of Cal nitrate in the next spray, like 25lbs 15.5- 0 - 0 to the acre. just a little bump. had some leaves knock off with last plowing, wow they colored good. alot lighter color than I expected. Wonder if the N is high and I never drive it over 130 if it would smoke worth a crap if it would scorch up on drive to stem dry? Pondering away...