Topping tobacco in the button stage (soon after the flower begins to appear) rather than later increases yield and body if suckers are con­trolled. When tobacco plants are not topped for 3 weeks after reach­ing the button stage, yields are reduced by 20 to 25 pounds per acre per day, or about 1 percent per acre per day when normal yields are in the 2,000- to 2,500-pounds-per-acre range. Higher yields reduce per-pound production costs for acreage-related inputs such as chemicals, fertilizers, and some labor expenses. In addition to improved yield and quality, early topping has other advantages

• It usually allows topping to be completed before harvest begins, helping to spread the workload away from the peak harvest period.
• It reduces the possibility of plants blowing over in a windstorm.
• It stimulates earlier root development, which increases fertilizer efficiency, drought tolerance, and alkaloid production.
• It helps to reduce buildup of certain insects