Agriculturists are advising Lancaster County tobacco farmers to be on the lookout for blue mold.
A tobacco leaf infected with blue mold appears in this file photo.
The first case of blue mold reported this year was confirmed July 11 near New Holland, where 85 percent of a five-acre field was infected.
Since then, several blue mold cases throughout the county have been reported.
On
lancasterfarming.com, Jeff Graybill, Lancaster County Extension agronomy educator, suggested "effective spray programs" to farmers to prevent and arrest blue mold, pointing out that the value of tobacco crops in Lancaster County was more than $10 million in 2007.
Trileaf Tobacco Co. Inc. of New Holland is advising farmers to call its Blue Mold Hotline at 351-9221, to request additional information or report damage to their crops.
Trileaf representatives were not available Friday afternoon, but the hotline's pre-recorded message recommends Acrobat 50WP fungicide spray for farmers who need to treat the disease.
Graybill advised tobacco growers to contact their local buyer representative to help them choose an effective spray program.
When blue mold infects young tobacco plants, the stalks can grow crooked and fall down, ruining the plant's chance of being harvested.
The last significant blue mold infestation in Lancaster County was reported in 2006.
Agriculturists believe that the windborne spores arrived here from southern regions at the beginning of the month.
E-mail: cdifonzo@lnpnews.com
