Effects of Different Flue-curing Technologies on Submicroscopic Structure of Flue-cured Tobacco Leaves

[ Objective] This study aimed to compare the effects of low-temperature low-humidity tobacco flue-curing technology, moderate-temperature moderate- humidity tobacco flue-curing technology and moderate-temperature high-humidity tobacco flue-curing technology on submicroscopic structure of flue-cured tobacco leaves to provide theoretical basis for tobacco flue-curing. [ Method] Middle leaves of tobacco cuhivar K326 were collected in Pengshui County of Chongqing City for flue-curing experiment using three flue-curing technologies. Leaf samples were collected regularly in the flue-curing process, to investigate the submicroscopic structure of flue-cured tobacco leaves. [ Result] Morphology changes and structural rupture of chloroplasts occurred at different time during three flue-curing proces- ses. In low-temperature low-humidity flue-curing process, morphology changes and structural rupture of chloroplasts occurred late but rapidly; in moderate-tempera- ture moderate-humidity flue-curing process and moderate-temperature high-humidity flue-curing process, morphology changes and structural rupture of chloroplasts occurred early but slowly. Among these three flue-curing processes, the speed of changes in mitochondria morphology, cristae number and membrane rupture pres- ented an upward order of low-temperature low-humidity flue-curing process 〈 moderate-temperature high-humidity flue-curlng process 〈 moderate-temperature moderate-humidity flue-curing process. In low-temperature low-humldity flue-curing process, starch granules in chloroplasts ruptured after flue-curing for 36 -48 h ; in moderate-temperature moderate-humidity flue-curing process, starch granules in chloroplasts ruptured after flue-curing for 24 - 36 h; in moderate-temperature high-humidity flue-curing process, starch granules in chloroplasts ruptured after flue-curing for 12 - 24 h. [ Conclusion ] Using low-temperature low-humidity flue- curing technology could prolong the maintenance duration of the submicroscopic structure integrity of flue-cured tobacco leaves, which was conducive to fully decom- posing and transforming substances in tobacco leaves and obtaining high-quality flue-cured tobacco leaves.

Effects of Different Flue-curing Technologies on Microscopic Structure of Flue-cured Tobacco Leaves

[Objective] This study aimed to compare the effects of Chinese quality-improving fragrunce-increasing tobacco flue-curing technology, Chinese three- stage tobaeeo flue-curing technology and Zimbabwean tobaceo flue-euring technology on microscopie structure of flue-cured tobacco leaves to provide theoretical basis for tobacco flue-curing. [ Method ] Middle leaves of tobacco cultivar K326 were collected in Pengshui County of Chongqing City for flue-curing experiment using three flue-curing technologies. Leaf samples were collected regularly in the flue-curing process, to investigate the microscopic structure of flue-cured tobaceo leaves. [ Result] During three flue-curing processes, leaves, palisade tissues and sponge tissues shrank gradually. Three flue-euring processes exhibited significant differ- ences in the peak of tissue shrinkage ： microscopic structure of flue-cured tobacco leaves in Chinese three-stage tobacco flue-curing process shrank earliest, follower by Chinese quality-improving fragrance-increasing tobacco flue-curing process; flue-eured tobacco leaves in Zimbabwean tobacco flue-curing process presented the latest shrinkage. At 84 h post-curing, leaf thickness in three flue-curing processes showed a descend order of Chinese three-stage tobacco flue-curing process 〉 Chinese quality-improving fragrance-increasing tobacco flue-curing process 〉 Zimbabwean tobacco flue-curing process. Upper and lower epidermal cells in Zimb- abwean tobacco flue-curing process ruptured earlier than other two flue-curing processes; eventually, the majority of cells ruptured and mixed with palisade tissues and sponge tissues. In Chinese quality-improving fragranee-increasing tobacco flue-curing process, only a small number of epidermal cells in dried leaves ruptured. Among three flue-curing technologies, Zimbabwean tobacco flue-curing technology exhibited the greatest damage to epidermal cells, followed by Chinese three-stage tobaceo flue-curing technology; Chinese quality-improving fragrance-increasing tobacco flue-curing technology had the minimum damage to epidermal cells. Mese- phyll cross-section exhibited significant morphological changes in stomata. To be specific, at 0 - 12 h post-curing, stomata of tobacco leaves closed with slightly prominent stamatal apparatuses on upper and lower epidermis; at 24 -72 h post-curing, stomata of tobaceo leaves changed gradually from opening to closure with significantly prominent stomatal apparatuses on upper and lower epidermis; at 84 h post-curing, stomata of tobacco leaves closed, and the majority of stomatal appa- ratuses were significantly prominent. In Chinese quality-improving fragrance-increasing tobacco flue-curing process, only a small number of epidermal ceils ruptured at 84 h pest-flue-curing; palisade tissues and sponge tissues shrank almost simultaneously. Significant gaps were observed between palisade tissues and between pal- isade tissues and sponge tissues. Chinese quality-improving fragrance-increasing tobacco flue-curing technology exhibited lower disorder level compared with other two flue-curing technologies. [ Conclusion] Chinese quality-improving fragrance-increasing tobacco flue-curlng technology was conducive to maintaining the micro- scopic structure integrity of flue-cured tobacco leaves and obtaining high-quality flue-cured tobacco leaves.

Three-Stage Six-Step Flue-Curing Technology for Viginia Tobacco Leaves and Its Application in China

In order to overcome the problem that the leaf yellowing stage in tobacco curing reduces the fragrance of the product, this study introduced the principle and key parameters of a three-stage six-step curing technology. The field trail was conducted in Wulong county of Chongqing city in 2010, and Virginia K326 was the tested cultivar. The middle leaves were harvested and plaited after maturity, and then cured with the three-stage six-step curing technology and traditional three-stage curing technology, respectively. Three replicates were established for each of the two curing technologies. Then, chemical constituents, aromatic substances and smoking quality were analyzed. The results show that compared with the traditional three-stage curing technology, the three-stage six-step curing technology produces more suitable ratios of chemical constituents, higher aromatic component content and higher smoking quality grade of tobacco leaves. Therefore, the continuous improvement of corollary equipment and matching technologies is expected to widen the applications of the three-stage six-step curing technology in tobacco and provide a strong technical support for the development of the tobacco industry.

Evaluation of Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in a Long-Term Experimental Tobacco Station in Southwest China

Analysis of the spatial variability of soil properties is important to arrange the experimental treatments in the experimental station. This paper aims to study the spatial structure of soil variables and their distribution in the Pengshui tobacco experiment station in Chongqing, China. Soil samples were taken from 289 soil points on 20 m grid in March 2012. Twenty-two soil chemical and physical properties were analyzed by classical statistical and geo-statistical methods. Soil pH, cation exchange capacity （CEC）, total phosphorus （TP）, available phosphorus （AP）, zinc （Zn）, magnesium （Mg） and sulphur （S） have the strong spatial dependence, with nugget/sill ratios of less than 25%. The others have the moderate dependence with nugget/sill ratios of 26.17% to 71.04%. Ranges of the spatial correlation varied from 51.30 m for chlorine （C1） to 594.90 m for TP. The clearly patchy maps of the nutrients showed the spatial distributions of the soil variables, which can be used for better management of experimental treatments, achieving reliable exoerimental results in the tobacco exnerimental station.Highlight： Scientific experimentation assumes the existence of random variability for soil attributes. This research was to evaluate the spatial variability of soil chemical and physical attributes and to interpolate the spatial distribution of soil properties in the tobacco experimental station in Chongqing. The result of this work can be used for the agricultural management of tobacco cultivation.

Research on Well Cellar Type Crop Transplanting Technology

To alleviate the restriction of shortages of labor force and technology on agricultural development in China, the technology of crop transplanting in well cellar was proposed. This technology was that the holes for transplanting in well cellar were made with dedicated tools for making well cellar, and the seedlings were placed into the well cellar vertically during transplanting. This new technology integrates heat preservation, management of rising temperature, early transplanting and deep planting. Results showed that the technology of transplanting in well cellar improved the growing environment of crops after transplanting through elevation of temperature and heat preservation, and tempered the dramatic change in the temperatures encountered by transplanted seedlings. This technology significantly reduced labor force requirement by 98.06%, 58.96% and 64.44% in tobacco, maize and pepper, respectively. Transplanting in well cellar without mulching film further lowered the labor force requirement, with decrease by 121.77% and 115.40% in maize and pepper, respectively. In addition, this technology significantly promoted crop growth, reduced the time until marketing for maize and pepper by 11 d and 6 d, respectively, and increased economic benefits by 67.03% and 44.24%, respectively. Thus, the technology of transplanting in well cellar showed strong promise for improving upon existing technologies to provide greater economic returns, particularly in areas where labor force shortage threatens to hamper agricultural production.

Effect of Removing the Lower Leaves on the Physiological Features and Aroma Constituents of Flue-Cured Tobacco

Yunyan 97 was selected as the raw material. The effects of removing different number （0, 2, 3 and 4） of lower leaves on root activity, chlorophyll content, physiological features and contents of neutral aroma constituents in the flue-cured tobacco were analyzed. The results showed that the removal of lower leaves could significantly increase the root activity, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate （Pn） and transpiration rate （Tr）, and delay the photosynthetic functional decline. Such effects were the greatest in lower leaves, followed by middle leaves and upper leaves. Moreover, the degree of the effects increased with higher number of leaves removed. After She lower leaves were removed, the water use efficiency （WUE） of leaves in the first 10 d became higher with more leaves removed. In the later periods （24 d, 38 d）, WUE decreased with more leaves removed. For the middle and upper leaves, the removal of three leaves （T2） and two leaves （T1） resulted in the highest contents of aroma constituents, respectively. For the tobaccos cultured in soil with moderate fertility under the experimental conditions, the appropriate number of lower leaves removed should be 2-3.