Effect of Chemical Desuckering on Growth, Yield and Quality of Bidi Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Varieties

The present investigation was carried out with nine treatment combinations of three bidi tobacco varieties (GT 5, ABT10 and GABT11) and three suckericide treatments (hand desuckering, pendimethalin @ 0.45% + 2% urea and fatty alcohol @ 6% + 2% urea). The findings of present investigation indicated that growth parameters viz., Leaf breadth, leaf area per plant, dry weight per unit leaf area, dry weight of leaves and stem were recorded maximum by GABT 11 at maturity. Suckericide treatment significantly improved growth parameters as compared to hand desuckering at maturity. Pendimethalin @ 0.45%+ urea 2% significantly controlled the axillary and ground suckers and gave 13.7 per cent higher cured leaf yield as compared to hand desuckering and remained at par with fatty alcohol @ 6% + urea 2%.