Dark Tobacco Variety Trial to Evaluate Susceptibility to Angular Leaf Spot

The field experiment will be repeated in 2020 at the Highland Rim AgResearch Experiment Station (HRREC) in Springfield, TN and the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center at Princeton (Princeton). All varieties included in the 2019 trial will be included in the 2020 trial at HRREC (Table 2). A subset of ten varieties will be included in the 2020 trial at Princeton. Those varieties are: ePD7309f, eDT538f, eLit Critf, eKY171f, eNL Madolef, eVA309f, eKT D6f, eKT D8f, eKTD17f, and eTND950f. Crops will be established and maintained according to University of Tennessee and Kentucky Extension recommendations except for streptomycin, which will not be applied. Plots will be arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Each plot will consist of one row of each variety and will be approximately 10 ft long with 5 ft between plots within rows. One row of wildfiresusceptible eKT D8f will be planted between each row as a buffer. Plots will be inoculated with a suspension of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci adjusted to a concentration of approximately 1X108 CFU/ml using a handheld pump sprayer. Nineteen dark tobacco varieties will be evaluated (Table 2). ALS disease ratings will be taken following inoculation after significant symptom development has occurred. At the end of the season plots will be harvested, and yield and quality will be assessed. Results will be published in a refereed journal or PDMR, a University of Tennessee / University of Kentucky Extension publication, and will be added to the Burley and Dark Tobacco Production Guide. Results will also be shared at grower meetings, Extension field days, and Extension in]service trainings.