Abstract:

It is still unclear how seed cake fertilizer affects the aroma compounds of flue-cured tobacco leaves. The results for the optimum application rate of sesame seed cake fertilizer and chemical fertilizer for a good quality of flue-cured tobacco leaves were inconsistent in previous reports , and most of them were gained based on the research using middle leaves of tobacco. In this study, the responses of chemical properties and aroma compounds of flue-cured tobacco leaves in different positions of plant to the proportional application of see cake fertilizer and chemical fertilizer were tested and the underlying mechanism of flue-cured tobacco flavor quality was explored using upper, middle and lower tobacco leaves. The results showed that application of 50% sesame cake and 50% chemical fertilizer could result in a suitable ratio of nicotine to sugar and higher neophytadiene, ketons and aldehyde contents for all leaves in different positions of tobacco plant grown in the mid-fertilize brown soil of Henan Province, therefore, the comprehensive quality of tobacco was improved , having small odor, suitable irritation, comfortable lingering smell, mild smoke and good combustibility. The quality discrepancy between the leaves in different positions was also diminished. Based on results obtained in our research, we recommend the optimal fertilizer blends for the tobacco grown in Henan Province as 50% sesame cake nitrogen with 50% chemical fertilizer nitrogen.

Key words: Sesame seed cake fertilizers, Chemical fertilizers, Tobacco leaves, Aroma quality