Specialty Crops is an interdepartmental program at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture in association with UT Extension and AgResearch.
The Department of Plant Sciences leads the agronomy program and the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology leads the pathology program.
Mitchell Richmond, assistant professor and tobacco, hemp, and specialty crop Extension specialist, and Zachariah Hansen, assistant professor and Extension specialty crops pathologist, provides outreach based on the latest scientific findings in Tennessee and the Southeastern region of the United States.
EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS
TOBACCO IN TENNESSEE
There are four major types of tobacco grown in Tennessee: Dark Fire-Cured, Dark Air-Cured, Burley, and Connecticut Broadleaf. Tobacco is a laborious crop and requires intensive management to maintain profitability, especially in premium markets such as cigar wrapper. Tobacco is seeded in the greenhouse in early spring to produce transplants that are planted, or “set,” in the field in mid to late May. Since cured leaf is the final product, the flowers are removed by hand, or “topped,” to maintain vegetative growth. The types of tobacco grown in Tennessee are stalk-harvested and placed in curing facilities. Dark tobacco types are then either fire or air-cured, whereas burley and Connecticutt broadleaf are only air-cured. After curing, the tobacco leaves are separated from the stalk by hand and prepared for the market.
VISIT THE HERBICIDE STEWARSHIP PAGE →
The Herbicide Stewardship Program strives to educate producers on the best management practices for herbicide use.
VISIT THE TOBACCO GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAP) PAGE →
Tobacco GAP aims to ensure sustainable, economically viable production of useable, quality tobacco while protecting, sustaining, or enhancing the environment and ensuring the rights of farm laborers.
PEOPLE
FACULTY
Meet Mitchell Richmond
Zach Hansen’s Organic Crops Virtual Field Tour
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