Trial at a Glance
- Farmer
- Isaac Nyakutepa
- Grower Number
- V185629
- Area
- Trelawney
- Planted
- 5 November 2021
Why We Run These Trials
Each year Maguires does trials on small-scale farms as well as commercial farms. Our goal is to find the most reliable and cost-effective way to grow a tobacco crop. We use several chemicals and fertilizers and constantly monitor the crop — and at the end of the season we record the weight of the leaves from each row and each reaping and compare the results. This year Syngenta has joined us and will also be conducting some trials with Maguires.
Fertilizers & Chemicals on Trial
Thirteen trial rows, each with its own treatment programme.
| Row | Fertilizer | Nematicide | Fert Conditioner | Top Dressing | Insecticides | Fungicide | Suckericide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Plesiva Star 270 g/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 2 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | Ezyflow Lime 5 L/ha | A.N 120 kg/ha | Plesiva Star 270 g/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 3 | Lime Blend 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Plesiva Star 270 g/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 4 | Lime Blend 400 kg/ha | — | Ezyflow Lime 5 L/ha | A.N 120 kg/ha | Plesiva Star 270 g/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 5 | High C 400 kg/ha | Abamiprid 3 L/ha | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 6 | High C 400 kg/ha | Abamiprid ×2 3 L/ha | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 7 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | Bion 60 g/ha | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 8 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | Bion ×2 60 g/ha | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 9 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | Azoxy Duo ×2 500 mL/ha | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 10 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | Azoxy Duo ×3 500 mL/ha | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
| 11 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | Flumetralin Duo 2 L/ha |
| 12 | High C 400 kg/ha | — | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | Flumetralin Duo 3 L/ha |
| 13 | High C 400 kg/ha | VS-04 5 L/ha | — | A.N 120 kg/ha | Imidacloprid 1 L/ha · Bullet 250 mL/ha · Belt 50 mL/ha | — | N’Decanol 5 L/ha |
The Season, Step by Step
The trial was inspected and photographed regularly through the first months of the season.
5 November 2021
At planting
The trial tobacco has been planted in a very sandy area. There is no sign of dusty surface beetle at planting — the land has been cleaned and there are no old tobacco stalks.
23 November 2021
Standing, but dry
All the tobacco is standing but the land is very dry and in need of rain. There is no sign of cutworm or dusty surface beetle affecting the crop. Plesiva Star has been used on half the crop, and Imidacloprid on the other half.
30 November 2021
Still insect-free
The farmer is yet to receive rain, but the crop is still insect free. There is no sign of any insect damage throughout all the tobacco, including the farmer’s own crop.
17 December 2021
A good start
It has been a good start to the trials — there is no sign of any plants dying. Although the tobacco has all taken, it is yet to receive any rain.
5 January 2022
Rain at last
The farmer received some rainfall and the tobacco has shot up. There is still no sign of aphids, and the majority of the plants took and are still standing.
January 2022
Stink bug next door — not in the trial
There appears to be stink bug damage in the farmer’s crop next to the trial area, but no leaves in the trial area have been damaged.
January 2022
Potassium firing in the area
Potassium firing has been a major problem throughout small-scale crops in the area.
January 2022
First aphids
Aphids have started to appear on the crop. The Plesiva Star is due its next spray, which is being done now.
Key Finding
Planted into very sandy ground and waiting until January for its first real rain, the trial crop stayed insect-free — even with stink bug damage in the farmer’s crop right next to the trial area.