Burley tobacco yield, quality and chloride content as affected by muriate of potash applications at different times before transplanting

This investigation was conducted to study the effects of varying rates of muriate of potash applications at three times prior to transplanting on hurley tobacco yield, quality and leaf and stalk chloride content. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications of each treatment. Tobacco leaf chloride levels indicated that the general trend was for chloride to decrease from the bottom to the top of the stalk. Regardless of time of application, the muriate of potash treatments increased chloride levels in all instances. Lower leaf chloride levels were noted in the 100 pounds K₂O/A as KCl applied in October. Tobacco stalk chloride levels were significantly higher in the top of the stalks at harvest and at stripping. Generally soil chloride levels were highest in the muriate of potash treatments applied in February and prior to transplant. Substantial leaching losses occurred in the October applications of 100 and 300 pounds K₂O/A as KCl. The cured tobacco leaf yield indicated that the sulfate and muriate forms of potash resulted in comparable yields. The 1977 growing season produced low yielding, inferior quality leaf, regardless of source or time of potash application. The dollar per acre and dollar per hundred weight values, which were used as quality indicators in this study, showed no significant differences as related to source or time of potash application.