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Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (22): 141-147.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2024-0706

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Effects of Yellowing Degree and Increasing Temperature Rate During Bulk Curing on Quality of Tobacco Leaves Produced in Sandy Mud Field

WANG Hang1(), WANG Songfeng2, LIU Lan1, YAO Yuanhua1, WANG Aihua2, WANG Xiaobin3()   

  1. 1 Guangdong Institute of Tobacco Sciences, Shaoguan, Guangdong 512029
    2 Tobacco Research Institute of CAAS/Key Laboratory of Tobacco Biology and Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Qingdao, Shandong 266101
    3 Guangdong Tobacco Company, China National Tobacco Corporation, Guangzhou 510627
  • Received:2024-11-18 Revised:2025-06-05 Online:2025-08-05 Published:2025-08-11

Abstract:

In order to optimize the baking process and improve the quality of tobacco leaves,in this study we investigated the effects of yellowing degree and rising temperature rate during the leaf-drying stage on the quality of tobacco leaves produced in sandy mud field. Three yellowing degrees (C1, 80% yellowing at 42℃/37℃; C2, 90% yellowing at 42℃/37℃; C3, 100% yellowing at 42℃/37℃) and three temperature rising rates during leaf-drying stage (H1, 1℃/3 h; H2, 1℃/2 h; H3, 1℃/h) were set up to study their impacts on upper tobacco leaves produced in sandy mud fields. The results showed that, among the three yellowing degree treatments, C2 significantly reduced the proportion of ash hanging leaves by 25.63% and 40.80% compared to C1 and C3, respectively, while increasing the average price by 0.47 yuan/kg and 2.08 yuan/kg. In terms of chemical composition, total sugar content decreased by 7.98% and 13.40%, total nitrogen content increased by 7.24% and 33.61%, and total phenolic content rose by 7.79% compared to C1. In terms of quality, C2 also achieved the highest appearance quality (color intensity) and sensory evaluation score. Among the three rising temperature rate treatments, H2 significantly reduced the proportion of ash hanging leaves by 21.57% and 33.44% compared to H1 and H3, respectively, with an average price increase of 0.64 yuan/kg and 1.62 yuan/kg. Total sugar content decreased by 4.36% and 6.90%, total nitrogen content increased by 3.40% and 9.35%, and total phenolic content rose by 18.80% compared to H3. H2 exhibited the highest scores in appearance and sensory quality. The study determined the optimal curing parameters for sandy mud field tobacco by maintaining dry-bulb temperature at 42℃ and wet-bulb temperature at 37℃ until leaves reached 90% yellowing degree (C2) with softened blades, then transitioning to the leaf-drying stage at a heating rate of 1℃/2 h (H2). This protocol effectively reduced ash-hanging leaves and improved cured leaf quality.

Key words: sandy mud field, bulk curing, yellowing degree, rising temperature rate at leaf-drying stage, tobacco leaf quality