NITROGEN NUTRITION OF FLUE - CURED TOBACCO

Abstract

Nitrogen is the key nutrient for plant growth, yield and quality of plants. In tobacco, leaf being economic product, too excess or too short a supply of N fertilizer leads to low yields, poor quality and very low market price. Further, the balanced nutrition of N and K holds key for successful tobacco production and higher net returns. Since soil test methods often fail to predict the N-availability to plant, plant tissue analysis is the only sure way to assess the N fertilizer requirement of crop plants. The nitrogen fertilization should be made in such a way that the plant would get enough available nitrogen during the growth period to ensure vigorous plant growth and at the same time soil nitrogen should be depleted soon after topping so as to harvest at correct stage to obtain quality leaf. Since nitrogen is the master nutrient controlling the plant growth, yield and quality of leaf, a rational N fertilization along with potassium based on soil/ plant analysis and also visual observations of the plant can only help the farmer to realize the best quality leaf and higher net returns.