Changes of Granule Structure and Enzyme Hydrolysability of Starch in Upper Flue-cured Tobacco Leaves During Bulk Flue-curing

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the changes of granule struc- ture, characteristic and related enzymatic activity of starch in upper flue-cured tobac- co leaves during bulk flue-curing process, to provide theoretical basis for reasonably regulating the starch content in upper flue-cured tobacco leaves and improving the quality of upper flue-cured tobacco leaves. [Method] Changes of amylase activity, enzyme hydrolysability and granule structure of starch in upper flue-cured tobacco leaves were studied during flue-curing process using conventional physical and chemical analysis and SEM. [Result] During the flue-curing process, the starch con- tent of tobacco leaves changed greatly at yellowing stage, and the activity of amy- lase presented the double-peak curve. The SEM observation results showed that most of the starch granules in fresh tobacco leaves were spheroidal and long cylin- drical, while some individuals were in irregular shape, with obvious groove-like in- vagination and layered structure on granule surface; during the flue-curing process, a large amount of starch granules showed layered structure on the surface at yellow- ing stage, and the long cylindrical starch granules were reduced greatly; at the end of flue-curing, there were barely any long cylindrical starch granule in flue-cured to- bacco leaves. Average long-axis-diameter of starch granules in fresh tobacco leaves was 3.21 μm, showing an overall gradually increasing trend during the flue-curing process, which was significantly enhanced at 38 and 42 ℃. The diameter of starch granules increased by more than 60% at the end of 42 ℃ and there was no re- markable difference after 47 ℃. During the flue-curing process, enzyme hydrolysabil- ity of starch in flue-cured tobacco leaves first increased, reached a peak at 38 ~C, and then decreased. [Conclusion] During the bulk flue-curing, the yellowing stage is the critical period for starch content, granule structure and characteristic changes of flue-cured tobacco leaves, it is of positive effects to improve the quality of upper flue-cured tobacco leaves by regulating the flue-curing conditions at yellowing stage.

Effects of Transplanting Nutrient Soil on Growth and Dry Matter Accumulation of Tobacco Seedlings

In order to select the suitable soil for transplanting tobacco in Hunan to- bacco growing areas, pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of different transplanting nutdent soils on the growth and dry matter accumulation of tobacco. The results indicated that the treatments of transplanting with nutrition soils were better than the control group. For the underground part, transplanting nutrient soil could effectively improve the root activity of tobacco plants, and increase root volume, root surface area, total root length, as well as the number of root tips and the number of root branches. For the aboveground part, transplanting nutrient soil could remarkably improve the plant height, stem girth, leaf number and maximum leaf area, and could simultaneously significantly increase the dry matter accumulation. By comparison, peat ＋ mushroom residue ＋ saw dust ＋ straw powder ＋ bicchar ＋ root promoting nutrient solution was the most effective treatment, and the effect of sole application of nutrient solution was limited. In conclusion, transplanting with nutrition soil could effectively promote the growth and dry matter accumulation of tobacco.

Effects of Straw Covering and Different Types of Potassium Fertilizer on Salinity Accumulation in Surface Layer of Tobacco-planted Paddy Soil

[Objective] This study aimed to investigation the effects of straw covering and different types of potassium fertilizer on salinity accumulation in surface layer of tobacco-planted paddy soil in southern China. [Method] Tobacco variety ‘Yunyan87’ was used as the experimental material to investigate the effects of salinity accumulation in surface layer of tobacco-planted paddy soil on the growth and development of flue-cured tobacco using different types of potassium fertilizer and mulching cultivation methods. [Result] The results showed that K＋ , Ca2＋ , SO42and NO3-were the major salt ions in topsoil at different growth stages of flue-cured tobacco, Na ＋ and Mg2＋ contents were also relatively high at vigorous growth stage, indicating that these salt ions were easily accumulated in surface layer of soil; to be specific, the absolute increase of salt ion concentration showed a decreasing order of K＋ SO42- NO3-Ca2＋ Mg2＋ Na＋ Cl-, while the relative increase of salt ion concentration showed a decreasing order of Ca2＋ K＋ Na＋ NO3-SO42-Mg2＋ Cl-. At 60 d posttransplanting, total salt content in topsoil reached the minimum of 359.1 mg/kg in Treatment 2, total salt content in topsoil reached the maximum of 536.1 mg/kg in Treatment 5 （CK）, which was significantly higher than that in other treatments. At 90 d post-transplanting, no significant difference was observed in total salt content among various treatments. At harvesting period, total salt content in topsoil reached the maximum of 3 278.4 mg/kg in Treatment 1, which was significantly higher than that in other treatments. Topsoil pH showed no significant differences among various treatments at three different periods, ranging from 5.39 to 5.59. Straw covering could effectively reduce salt content in topsoil, accelerate vigorous growth of tobacco, shorten vigorous growth period and increase plant height, leaf number and lead area; at vigorous growth stage, root vitality and root volume of tobacco were improved, but the yield and output value were relatively low. Major agronomic traits and yield of tobacco showed no significant difference among various treatments. Output value of tobacco reached the maximum of 24 196.8 yuan/hm2 in Treatment 3, which was significantly higher than that in other treatments. [Conclusion] Appropriate types and proportions of potassium fertilizer and straw covering can effectively reduce the total salt content in tobacco-planted paddy soil and increase the effective supply amount of K＋ , Ca2＋ , SO42-and NO3-, thereby promoting and improving the root vitality of tobacco, which is conducive to the growth and development of tobacco and will eventually enhance the yield, quality and economic benefits of flue-cured tobacco.

Studies on Amylase and Degradation of Starch and Pigment of Tobacco Leaf During Process of Flue-Curing

The changes in the activity of amylase and amylase-isoenzyme and the degradation of starch and pigment of tobacco leaf during flue-curing were studied by using the electric- heated flue-curing barn designed and made by the Henan Agricultural University. The temperature and humidity of the barn were controlled automatically. The results indicated that starch in tobacco leaf decreased rapidly and leveled off after 48 h of curring, in the meantime, the content of soluble sugar increased accordingly and reached a peak at the stage of color-fixing. Both of them had a rapid-changing stage in the first 36 hours of yellowing. The changes of starch and soluble sugar contents had highly significant negative-correlation at 1 % level (rNC89 = -0.8962**, rYY85 = -0.9704**). The activity of amylase increased with the proceeding of curing and reached a peak after 36 hours of curing, then decreased. But the activity of amylase kept at a high level when the humidity of curing-environment was very low, even if the tobacco leaf had been dried. The rapid degradation of starch showed a significantly negative correlation with the increase of activity of amylase at 5 % level (rNC89 = -0.8495*, rYY85 = -0.7839*). The degradation of starch and pigment had the same regulation and had highly significant correlation at 1 % level (rNC89= 0.9649**, rYY85= 0.9428**). There were mainly three amylase-isoenzyme bands -A, B, C respectively, in tobacco leaf during flue curing. They were identified as α-AMY, β-AMY, R-AMY, and the activity of β-AMY was the highest. The changes in amylase activity and contents of starch and pigment were affected by the tobacco leaf moisture and environmental humidity during curing.

Effects of Curing Techniques on Starch Contents of Leaves in Different Tobacco Parts with Varying Maturity Degrees

[Objective] The aim was to explore effects of different curing techniques on starch contents of tobaccos from different growth parts and with varying maturity degrees in order to reduce starch content of Yunnan tobacco. [Method] Compar- isons were conducted on tobaccos from upper, middle and down parts （immature, premature, mature and excessive mature） by low temperature and low humidity cur- ing technique, moderate temperature and moderate humidity curing technique, mod- erate temperature and high humidity curing technique to measure starch contents before and after curing. [Result] The results showed starch content of tobacco was increasing upon growth part. Low temperature and low humidity curing technique has poor effects on reduction of starch content; moderate temperature and moderate humidity curing technique improves starch content; moderate temperature and high humidity curing technique dramatically reduces starch content of tobaccos. [Conclu- sion] With consideration of tobacco appearance, inner quality and characters, moder- ate temperature and moderate humidity curing technique is recommended for tobac- co production.

Dynamics of Environmental Humidity and Water Content in Tobacco Leaf and Metabolism of Starch During Curing

Effect of environmental humidity and water content in tobacco leaf on starch metabolism was studied by using the electric-heated auto-controlled flue-curing barn supplied by Henan Agricultural University, China. The results indicated that the degradation of starch and decrease of water content in tobacco leaf during early yellowing at low humidity was the most rapid, and the water loss was the highest while the lowest under high humidity. The duration for starch degradation under low humidity was longer than that of CK. So the starch residue in cured leaf of different treatment took the order of high humidity yellowing treatment> low humidity yellowing treatment > CK. When the leaf water content was decreased to around 50 %, the starch degradation became slow and the content of starch was stable. Starch degradation and decrease of leaf water content was not synchronous. Starch in tobacco leaf during yellowing degraded more rapidly when humidity was decreased at a high speed, but the degradation stopped earlier at late stage. There was a quicker and higher degradation of starch under high environmental humidity. When the humidity decreased to 70 %, the content of starch was stable. The activity of amylase began to decrease when relative humidity was below 75 %, but it kept a high level of activity when the environmental humidity was below 70 %.

不同覆盖措施对大田烤烟叶片淀粉积累的影响

研究了6种农艺覆盖措施对云烟85叶片淀粉含量积累的影响。结果表明:(1)云烟85各部位烟叶淀粉含量的变化曲线总体上符合3次多项式回归模型。移栽后40 d内,叶片淀粉含量较低;移栽后40～60 d,淀粉迅速积累,之后变化趋于稳定,在生长后期部分处理的淀粉含量又有所下降。(2)下部叶、中部叶和上部叶分别在移栽后的50．60,70 d以内,不同处理间烟叶淀粉含量的差异较大,之后各处理间差异逐渐减小,表明大田前中期处理间烟叶淀粉含量的变异大于中后期。(3)成熟采收期下部烟叶淀粉含量在处理间的变异系数较大(9．5%- 12．6%),上部烟叶淀粉含量的变异系数次之(5．4%-8．3%),中部烟叶的变异系数较小(3．6%-4．0%)。(4)不同覆盖处理间烤后烟叶淀粉含量差异达显著水平,其中以“旺长期揭膜+中耕培土+垄上覆盖秸秆”处理的烟叶淀粉含量较低,在中、上部叶中表现得尤为明显;烤后烟叶淀粉含量与成熟期鲜烟叶淀粉含量呈极显著正相关,相关系数为0．752。

烟叶淀粉研究进展

烟叶淀粉作为天然产物,受到烟草品种、烟叶着生部位、生育期、生产技术、田间气候等多种因素的影响,其含量、结构和性质也发生变化。文章简单介绍淀粉对烟叶品质的影响,淀粉在田间积累的影响因素,阐述了烟叶采收与调制对淀粉含量的影响,重点综述了大田和调制期间酶活性和基因表达以及烟叶淀粉提取、结构和特性对烟叶品质的影响。