EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND LEAF POSITION ON QUALITY CONSTITUENTS OF LANKA TOBACCO ( NICOTIANA TABACUM, L.) GROWN IN ANDHRA PRADESH

Abstract

Lanka tobacco, an indigenous air-cured tobacco used for cheroot making, is famous for its characteristic pungent taste and strong aroma and is cultivated on alluvial flood plains of Godavari River in East and West Godavari, and Khammam districts of Andhra Pradesh. A field experiment was conducted during 2010-11 in Rekhapalli, Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh to study the effect of nitrogen levels (Recommended practice; N1=300 kg/ha and farmers practice; N2=1000 kg/ha) and leaf position (bottom, middle and top) on biochemical quality constituents in Lanka tobacco. Nicotine, reducing sugars (RS), starch, proline, petroleum ether extractives (PEE) and acid value (positively related to quality) decreased whereas chlorophyll a, chlorogenic acid, rutin and nitrate nitrogen (negatively related to quality) increased with an increase in nitrogen level from 300 to 1000 kg/ ha. Nicotine, RS, chlorogenic acid, PEE, starch, nitrate nitrogen and proline contents increased whereas rutin content decreased with increase in leaf position from bottom to top. Nicotine content decreased by 10.9% in the top leaves with increase in nitrogen levels from 300 to 1000 kg/ ha. Reducing sugar content varied from 0.46 to 1.41% among the leaf position and nitrogen levels. Reducing sugars and proline contents decreased significantly by 14.39 and 79% respectively, whereas chlorogenic acid content increased by 17.68% with increased levels of nitrogen from 300 to 1000 kg/ha. The chlorogenic acid content in the top leaves was 36.79 and 40% higher than the middle and bottom leaves, respectively. The maximum content of nitrate nitrogen (4.06 mg/g) was in the top position leaves under 1000 kg N/ha. Nitrate nitrogen content increased by 82.53, 48.16 and 129.45% in top, middle and bottom position leaves, respectively, with increase in nitrogen from 300 to 1000 kg/ha. Results revealed that in Lanka tobacco accumulation of quality constituents was maximum in the top position followed by middle position at 300 kg N/ha. The Recommendation of 300 kg N/ha for Lanka tobacco was found to be optimum for higher yields with balanced quality constituents for its pungent taste and strong aroma compared to farmer’s practice (1000 kg N/ha).