Alternative Ridging Practices for Flue‐Cured Tobacco Production in North Carolina

Core Ideas Alternative ridging methods could prove beneficial for tobacco producers. Conservation tillage efforts have demonstrated little success. Fine‐textured soils will require special management considerations. Soil resistance is considered to be a limiting production factor. Coarse‐textured soils appear to be better suited than fine‐textured soils. With increasing farm size and the necessity for timely field preparation, flue‐cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) producers in North Carolina would benefit from alternatives to current ridging practices. Research was conducted in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the effects of differing ridging methods on soil physical properties and the growth and development of flue‐cured tobacco. In each environment, two alternative ridging methods were compared with the grower standard of spring ridging (SR): fall ridging (FR) and rotary ridging (RR) in the Piedmont, and FR and no ridging (NR) in the Coastal Plain. In the Piedmont, FR reduced leaf yield and value when compared with RR and SR systems. Reduced yield and value were a result of high soil resistance that inhibited plant growth. In the Coastal Plain, treatments imposed did not affect the soil physical properties or tobacco yield and quality. Results indicate that FR and NR systems are acceptable alternative ridging methods for the production of flue‐cured tobacco in the sandy Coastal Plain growing region. Alternatively, FR should not be used in the Piedmont growing region due to the fine soil texture that is prone to high resistance.