Organic flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) accounts for more than US$39 million in farm gate revenue in North Carolina (USDA-NASS, 2017). Commercial production has not been free of challenges, specifically in reference to axillary bud (sucker) control because of the prohibition of synthetic plant growth regulators. Organic sources of fatty alcohol have been approved for application; however, the USDA National Organic Standards Board has recently scrutinized their use (Suchoff, Vann, & Short, 2019). Without options for chemical sucker control, the cost of production may increase by US$400 to 800 acre -1 (Short, Suchoff, Vann, & Fisher, 2020). To ensure the longevity and success of organic tobacco production, alternative organic options are needed. Pelargonic acid (PA) (nonanoic acid) is currently certified for organic tobacco production in the United States but has not been evaluated by a Cooperative Extension. Our objectives were to quantify the phytotoxicity and sucker control efficacy of various application rates of PA.