Productivity and quality of Virginia tobacco as depending on nitrogen fertilization and topping
Radka Bozhinova
Abstract: A field study was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to determine the effects of different N rates (0, 20 and 40 kg N ha-1) and time of topping (topping at early flowering and topping at full flowering) on yield and quality of Virginia tobacco. Nitrogen rate was found to be important factor for increasing the leaf area. The leaf area for upper leaves was also strongly influenced by time of topping. The dry weight per unit area of the leaf depends more strongly
on the time of topping, especially in the upper leaves. Cured leaf yield significantly increased with increasing the amounts of N fertilizer. Leaf yield tended to increase by 10.1% when tobacco was topped at early flowering stage. The best quality tobacco (as determined by the percentage of first grade dried tobacco) was produced by topping in the full flowering stage. Fertilization with the highest nitrogen rate (40 kg N ha-1) decreased leaf quality. When Virginia tobacco was grown on Cleyic-Chromic Luvisol with low humus and total nitrogen content, the fertilization with 20 kg N ha-1 results in good ratio between I-st grade dry tobacco and yield.
on the time of topping, especially in the upper leaves. Cured leaf yield significantly increased with increasing the amounts of N fertilizer. Leaf yield tended to increase by 10.1% when tobacco was topped at early flowering stage. The best quality tobacco (as determined by the percentage of first grade dried tobacco) was produced by topping in the full flowering stage. Fertilization with the highest nitrogen rate (40 kg N ha-1) decreased leaf quality. When Virginia tobacco was grown on Cleyic-Chromic Luvisol with low humus and total nitrogen content, the fertilization with 20 kg N ha-1 results in good ratio between I-st grade dry tobacco and yield.
Keywords: nitrogen fertilization; quality; tobacco; topping; yield
Date published: 2018-05-23
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