Crop guide

Tobacco

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) – Complete Crop Program ________________________________________ 1. Soil Preparation • Tobacco requires light, well-drained sandy loam soil rich in organic matter.

Rabi Sowing Oct–Dec Harvest Apr–May 20–30 maund per acre

Soil Preparation

Tobacco requires light, well-drained sandy loam soil rich in organic matter.
Perform deep ploughing (2–3 times) followed by planking to prepare a fine seedbed.
Avoid heavy clay or waterlogged soils.
Apply well-rotted Farm Yard Manure (FYM): 3–4 tons per acre before the last ploughing.
Optimum soil pH: 5.5–6.5 (slightly acidic).

Sowing Time (Pakistan)

Region Nursery Sowing Transplanting to Field
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa October–December January–February
Punjab November–December February–March
Sindh December–January February–March

Nursery Management

Prepare raised nursery beds in well-drained soil.
Mix FYM and sand (1:1 ratio).
Seed rate: 80–100 grams per acre (nursery for transplanting).
Seed treatment: Use Carbendazim @ 2g/kg of seed to prevent damping-off.
Cover seeds lightly with fine sand or compost.
Light irrigation should be applied daily till germination.
Seedlings are ready for transplanting in 40–45 days.

Transplanting

Transplant seedlings when 10–12 cm tall with 5–6 leaves.
Row spacing: 2.5–3 ft (75–90 cm).
Plant spacing: 1.5–2 ft (45–60 cm).
Irrigate immediately after transplanting.

Fertilizer Application (Per Acre)

Fertilizer Quantity Timing
DAP (18:46:0) 1 bag (50 kg) At transplanting
Urea (46% N) 1.5 bags (75 kg) Half at transplanting, half 30 days later
SOP (Sulphate of Potash) 1 bag (50 kg) 30–40 days after transplanting
Zinc Sulphate 10 kg At transplanting
Avoid excess nitrogen as it reduces leaf quality and aroma.

Irrigation Schedule

First irrigation: Immediately after transplanting.
Subsequent irrigations: Every 7–10 days depending on soil and weather.
Stop irrigation 15 days before harvest to improve leaf curing quality.

Weed Management

Weed Damage Control Product
Bathu (Lambsquarters) It germinates with the crop in the cold weeks after transplanting and takes the first nitrogen, so the plant makes fewer and lighter leaves. Pendimethalin 33%EC
Nettle-leaf Goosefoot (Krund) Its seed sprouts with the transplanted crop in winter and drinks the early irrigations, so the young plants sit still instead of spreading leaf. Pendimethalin 33%EC
Wild Amaranth (Jangli Chulai) It comes later, as the weather warms, and takes the nitrogen meant for leaf just as the crop is being topped. Hoe between the ridges as the weather warms; the pre-emergence layer is spent by then
Purple Nutsedge (Deela) Comes up between the plants right through the season and takes the nitrogen the leaf needs, so the leaf cures thin and fetches a lower grade. Hand weeding with the first hoeing, 20–25 days after transplanting
Bermuda Grass (Khabbal) Takes the water and fertiliser out of the ridge all season, so the plants stay short and give fewer pickable leaves. Dig the runners out at land preparation

First hoeing: 20–25 days after transplanting.
Use Pendimethalin 33% EC @ 1 liter per acre as pre-emergence herbicide.
Keep field weed-free especially during early growth.

Major Insect Pests & Control

Pest Damage Recommended Control
Aphids Sap sucking, leaf curling Imidacloprid 25% WP @ 50g/acre
Whitefly Spreads leaf curl virus Thiamethoxam 25% WG @ 40g/acre
Cutworm Cuts seedlings at soil level Lambda Cyhalothrin 2.5% EC @ 200ml/acre
Tobacco Hornworm Feeds on leaves Spinosad 48% SC @ 100ml/acre

Major Diseases & Control

Disease Symptoms Control
Damping-Off Seedling base rots Carbendazim spray in nursery
Black Shank Wilting, stem rot Metalaxyl + Mancozeb
Root-Knot Nematode Swelling on roots Crop rotation + Trichoderma
Leaf Curl Virus Curling, stunted plants Control whitefly + remove infected plants