Effects of Water Volume and Nitrogen Fertilization on Yield and Quality Traits of Air-cured Burley Tobacco (Nicotianatabacum L.)

Abstract

SUMMARYBased on a two-year field trial in the region of Campania (Southern Italy) the effects of water volume and nitrogen fertilization on the yield and quality of Burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were investigated with reference to the following traits: cured leaf yield, price index, yield value, leaf area, specific leaf weight, burning capacity, color parameters, total alkaloid, nitrate and chloride leaf content. The experimental design was a factorial comparison among three water volumes (40, 80 and 120% evapotranspiration (ET)), four nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 80, 160 and 240 kg ha -1 ) and two genotypes (cv TN86 and the hybrid R7-11). The yield of cured leaves rose with the increase in water and nitrogen availability, albeit at a decreasing rate. With the increase in water volume, the price index, burning capacity, specific leaf weight, total alkaloid and nitrate content decreased, while leaf area and chloride content increased. Up to a rate of 160 kg ha -1 , nitrogen fertilization increased the price index, yield value, burning capacity, leaf area, specific leaf weight, total alkaloid and nitrates, and reduced leaf chloride content especially at 40% ET water volume. Both, nitrogen fertilization and water volume had little influence on leaf color. The year had considerable effects on yield, leaf area and color parameters, with higher values in the rainier season. In the two years, genotype TN86 showed higher stability for yield and yield value, lower alkaloid and higher nitrate content in the leaf than the R7-11 hybrid.[Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int. 24 (2011) 194-206

A Survey of Fertility Program Responses of Kentucky Dark Fire-Cured Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Yield and Quality for Cigars Manufacture in the Benevento Province (Southern Italy)

“…These results demonstrate that a rate of approximately 120 kg N ha !1 could be considered optimal to obtain maximum plant growth as was previously reported for Burley tobacco grown in similar pedoclimatic conditions (6). The Specific Leaf Weight (SLW), measured at the beginning of rapid growth, was positively influenced by fertilization, as already reported for tobacco (26) and other species (17,27,28), and increased up to NFP rate in 3 out of 4 locations (Figure 1). SLW has often been associated with leaf thickness and has been documented in previous studies (25,28).…”

“…SLW has often been associated with leaf thickness and has been documented in previous studies (25,28). An improving effect of potassium (K) nutrition on this leaf characteristic was also well documented through its effect on leaf structure in tobacco (26), bean (29,31) and rice (32). Since in the present experiment increasing doses of K were applied with increasing N rates (Table 2), the effect of K could not be separated from that of N on this or others parameters.…”

“…On average, heavy filler products showed, as expected, a higher leaf mean weight than light filler ones ( Table 3). It is well known that high leaf weight means a cured leaf with both increased thickness and density which indicates leaves with an considerable body (9,26,37). As previously reported, the body of a leaf is one of the main characteristics that determine the commercial quality of tobacco (5,9,37).…”

“…Int. 28 (2018) [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] RESUME La N fertilisation du tabac brun séché au feu du Kentucky peut être utilisée pour augmenter le poids des feuilles séchées de haute qualité pour la fabrication de cigares. Nous avons mené des expériences sur le terrain à 11 endroits différents dans la province de Benevento (Italie du Sud) où les quatre traitements N suivants ont été comparés: 1) témoin non fertilisé (N0); 2) un taux d'azote spécifique au site, calculé par un plan de fertilisation azotée (NFP) basé sur les caractéristiques physiques et chimiques du sol, compris entre 113 et 145 kg N ha !1 ; 3) 200 kg N ha !1 (taux couramment utilisé par les agriculteurs, N200); 4) 100 kg N ha !1 (la moitié du taux couramment utilisé par les agriculteurs, N100).…”

A Review on the Challenges for Increased Production of Castor

“…That is why it can be found in high concentration in young leaves when N is stored, but it is absent in senescing leaves when the N has been translocated to growing leaves and seeds. The concentration of two alkaloids produced in important crops (caffeine in Coffea arabica L. and nicotine in Nicotiana tabacum L.) is influenced by N fertilization just like other N‐rich compounds (Ascione et al, 2011; Gonthier et al, 2011).…”