Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1544088
Tobacco Asia 57 Meanwhile, Graham Ross, presi- dent of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Associa- tion (ZTA) echoed this, stressing the im- portance of hardening. "We expect our seedlings to be at least 15 cm from root crown to bud, have had at least 2 weeks of hardening and be light in color," he said. The simple test of wrapping a seed- ling around a finger without snapping re- mains a universal measure of readiness. Soil preparation is as much about science as it is about tradition. In India, Rao explained, farmers avoid planting tobacco after solanaceous crops in order to reduce pathogen buildup. Soil tests are conducted on 20% of fields to assess fertility, with fertilizer recommendations tailored to nitrogen, phosphorus, and po- tassium levels. In Zimbabwe, practices are more regimented. The Alliance One managers described deep ploughing, fumigation, ridge formation, and ensuring that basins are large enough to hold water. "Essen- tial soil preparations include achieving field capacity water, conducting early land preparation, and fumigating the soil," they emphasized. ZTA's Graham Ross highlighted the importance of soil pH, ideally rang- ing between 5.5 and 6. "It is imperative to take soil samples early in the season," he explained, noting that fumigation is rec- ommended to prevent nematode dam- age. Furthermore, fertilizer placement in soil ridges ensures immediate availability to seedlings. Timing of transplanting: seasons and regulations In India, transplanting is dictated by rain- fall rather than legislation. "The entire transplantation window is linked to rain- fall directly or indirectly," Rao stressed. Farmers aim for early and middle win- dows, but ultimately the onset of the monsoon determines the schedule. Zimbabwean growers, however, operate under strict legislative dates. Rankin and Sheppard noted that the ear- liest legal transplanting date is September 1, with the last date allowed being De- cember 31. "Early planting with irrigation is recommended for higher yield," they said, while rain-fed crops are typically planted in November. Graham Ross confirmed this, add- ing that the "dead period" from May 15 to September 1 is designed to break pest Manual transplanting in India, observing correct spacing and planting depth. Credit: Godfrey Phillips