NC Cooperative Extension Service

"Tip Production in Flue-Cured Tobacco"

Mitch Smith, County Extension Director

Pitt County Extension Center
Greenville, NC 27834

With the increase of contracting in tobacco, most cigarette companies have offered price premiums for quality, upper stalk tobacco. This includes tobacco which receives a tip grade at local buying stations. The tip leaves of the tobacco plant are the shortest, most narrow leaves on the stalk. Tips usually number only 4-5 leaves and comprise about 18% of the plant's total weight.

Research conducted at North Carolina State University has focused on management practices which can increase tip grades in the production of flue-cured tobacco. This is due to the fact that under some systems of management, upper stalk leaves may not always demonstrate characteristics of tip leaves. This research also focused on the tendancy of older varieties such as McNair 944 to produce upper leaves which have tip characteristics. These varieties are believed to have exhibited more tip characteristics due to the fact that they were earlier maturing and produced lower yields than today's tobacco varieties.

Listed below are recommended cultural practices which may increase the number of tip grades in tobacco production.

  1. Use a plant spacing no greater than 22 inches - For leaf buyers which are interested in purchasing more tip tobacco, using a plant spacing of 20-22 inches is preferable to 24 inches. A narrower plant spacing would be expected to produce a narrower leaf and greater chance of receiving a tip grade at the buying station.

  2. Use a reasonable nitrogen amount - One of the most important factors in contributing to tobacco with tip characteristics is the color of the cured leaf. This is believed to be linked to the proper use of nitrogen fertilizer.

  3. Use a higher topping height - Since larger, upper leaves tend to lose their tip characteristics, it is advisable to use a slightly higher topping height in order to produce upper leaves with tip characteristics.

  4. Keep upper 5-6 leaves separate - Increasing the number of harvests to allow the upper five to six leaves to remain separate during harvest increases the chance of receiving a tip grade.

  5. Harvest ripe tobacco - Ripe tobacco which has the upper stalk separated according to stalk position is more apt to increase tip grades. This is especially true when managing earlier maturing varieties such as Speight 168 and NC 606.

This page (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/pitt/ag/tobacco/tipproduction.html) was created by Mitch Smith, County Extension Director, February 17, 2005. Last revised on April 8, 2005.

Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.