Tobacco Budworm Damage to Flue-Cured Tobacco at Different Plant Growth Stages12

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Abstract
When 3rd instars of Heliothis virescens (F.) were placed on tobacco plants 3,5, and 7 wk after transplanting, the early, mid-, and late season infestations, respectively, caused injury to the lower, middle, and top leaves of the plants. The % plants topped from tobacco budworm injury decreased with age of the plants, and effects on plant maturity also decreased with plant age. Infestations of 100% tobacco budworms (one larva/plant in the presence of Cardiochiles Nigriceps Viereck) on tobacco plants 3, 5, and 7 wk after transplanting caused yield losses of 564, 197, and 245 kg/ha, respectively. Leaf consumption per larva averaged 35, 12.2, and 15.2 g/larva, respectively. A combination of an early + midseason infestation reduced yields more than that of an early + late season infestation or a mid-, + late season infestation. The greatest yield reduction (912 kg/ha) was recorded from an early + mid-, + late season infestation. The quality of most budworm-damaged tobacco was lower; however, only quality reductions for tobacco damaged both 3 and 5 wk after transplanting or tobacco damaged 3, 5, and 7 wk after transplanting were statistically significant from the undamaged tobacco. Topping and suckering the injured tobacco plants all season reduced the injury caused by tobacco bud worms, but appeared to be most helpful to those plants topped by tobacco budworm injury at an early stage of plant growth.

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