• The cultural operations recommended for successful production of different types of tobacco depend, to great extent, on the agro-climatic conditions under which they are grown.
• Besides, they should also envisage the cost of such operations to make them economical and within easy reach of the average farmer and to achieve maximum benefits from the minimum necessary operations.
• Secondly, the nature and intensity of tillage operations vary from region to region and soil type to soil type.
• In most of the tobacco areas in Andhra Pradesh, the field is kept fallow till September even though monsoon rains are received by the middle of June.
• A number of ploughings are given with the country plough followed by working of tyned or blade-harrows to keep the soil in a fit condition to conserve maximum amount of rainfall.
• A minimum number of tillage operations comprising one or two ploughings with three or four harrowings was better.

Black soils

Summer Tillage

• In black soils where major portion of flue-cured tobacco is produced the soils crack deep in summer and become very sticky with the onset of rains.
• There is more of run-off than infiltration. In such soils, profile modification studies at C.T.R.I. Farm showed a substantial increase in both yield and quality when the soils are deep tilled in summer by heavy-duty tractors soon after the tobacco stalks are removed from the field at the end of the season.
• Better results were obtained when the field was crowbarred i.e. large clods of soils are inverted by lever action of the crowbar.
• This operation is preferably done quite early in summer so that the maximum benefit is obtained by exposure of soil to the sun before the summer rains are received. Crowbarring once in two years was found to be as effective as doing it every year.

Preparatory cultivation

• Two or three ploughings followed by one or two harrowings at proper moisture are sufficient as preplanting cultivation during the months of August - September.

Irrigated light soils of East, West Godavari and Khammam Districts

Preparatory cultivation

Digging the soil with tractor soon after harvest of tobacco or during summer with the onset of rain at proper moisture is essential as it helps in exposing and killing nematodes, soil born pathogens, pests and weeds.

Red soils (rainfed) of Prakasam and Nellore districts (SLS)

Preparatory cultivation

• Wherever possible the field should be ploughed by a tractor during summer to expose weed seeds, roots, soil pathogens and insect pests to scorching sun/heat of summer.
• Deep ploughing once with mould board plough between July and September at proper moisture followed by harrowing with tractor drawn/bullock drawn cultivator, 2-3 times is required to get proper tilth and keep the weeds under check.

• Natu tobacco Main field is summer ploughed invariably once in two years by using tractor mounted mould board plough.

Ploughing is to be done in the months of March- April to kill the hybernating insects and pernicious weed flora.

• Field preparation is done for planting main crop with the cessation of mansoon in coastal areas where the crop is grown on 805 light soils and 20% in black soils.
• It is exclusively grown as a rabi plantation where the transplanting is done in October to November

Deep ploughing has to be done either with tractor or cattle drawn mould board plough as soon as the first showers are received in summer.

• It will help in reduction of weed density, nematode population and soil borne pests and diseases.
• 3-4 ploughings as preparatory tillage before planting to make the soil more pliable
• Level the land to the possible extent with wooden plank or tree branch. Always from ridges and furrows across the slope.

The field is deep ploughed during April-May to kill all hybernating insects and pests and pernicious weeds.

• Deep Ploughing in black soils felicitates to store more rain water for sustained crop growth.
• The field is leveled and well prepared till fine tilth by cris-cross harrowing during September-October and the weed flora is removed.

• Six to eight ploughings are necessary i.e. once with country plough followed by remaining ploughings with tined and blade harrows, after floods recede in September.

If tractor facility is available, ploughings can also be taken up with tractor. If the lanka land is recently formed or has not been cultivated for some time, the soil is dug with spade before ploughings.

• Deep ploughing in summer followed by cultivation with harrow on the onset of monsoon is necessary in all types of soils.
• These operations will help in,
  1. Control of weeds and grasses
  2. Buildup row ridge to reduce chance of drowning and wind damage
  3. Loosen the soil to water penetration and aeration
  4. To expose insect larvae and pathogens for decay.
• FCV tobacco is a shallow rooted crop. Most of the roots, even at maturity are in top 12-16" of soil. Care must be taken during cultivation to keep root pruning to the minimum.
• Deep cultivation very close to plants should be avoided during first two weeks as there is considerable root development.
• Practice of intercultivating the meter row space to conserve moisture, to eradicate weeds, to prevent compaction, to improve soil aeration has to be done by tyned blade harrows is highly essential after 3 weeks of planting.