Abstract:

In order to explore the appropriate harvesting maturity of the middle and upper tobacco leaves of three flue-cured tobacco varieties in the high-altitude rainy tobacco area of Xuanwei, Yunnan Province, three harvest maturity levels were set to study their effects on economic benefits, appearance quality, physical characteristics, intrinsic chemical composition and sensory quality of flue-cured tobacco through the field plot experiment. The results showed that the comprehensive quality of ‘Yunyan 301’ and ‘Zhongchuan 208’ tobacco leaves increased with the delay of harvest time. In terms of physical characteristics of tobacco leaves, the stalk percentage decreased, leaf surface density and tension resistance increased. In terms of appearance quality, the color of central tobacco leaves was slightly lighter, and the nicotine content of tobacco leaves decreased. With the increase of harvest maturity, the comprehensive quality of ‘Yunyan 105’ increased first and then decreased. The economic benefit of each variety increased first and then decreased with the delay of harvest time. In general, the middle leaves of ‘Zhongchuan 208’ and ‘Yunyan 301’ can be harvested when they are ripe in the field, while the upper tobacco leaves should be harvested when the fresh tobacco leaves in the field reach the sub-ripe standard, while ‘Yunyan 105’ can be harvested when they are ripe in the field.

Key words: flue-cured tobacco, variety, harvest maturity, quality, Xuanwei