The hollow stalk, caused by Erwinia carotovors var. carotovora, is probaly the most devastating disease to burley tobacco in Korea. There are two modes of infection to tobacco plants: the primary infection along the plant stem from soil and the secondary one from the topped end of plants. The secondary infection rate could be reduced to almost zero by applying an antibiotic, streptomycin sulfate(400 ppm solution), right after topping.