Abstract:
To optimize the cutting and utilization of cured leaves of flue-cured tobacco, tobacco leaves of different single leaf weights were collected from Yunnan and Henan producing areas, and the differences in chemical compositions and sensory quality of different sections of the tobacco leaves were investigated through a three-section cutting experimental design. The results showed consistent variations in reducing sugar and chlorine contents (mass fractions), potassium/chlorine ratio, and reducing sugar/total sugar ratio of different sections of tobacco leaves from Yunnan and Henan producing areas. Reducing sugar content, potassium/chlorine ratio and reducing sugar/total sugar ratio were lower, and chlorine content was higher in the base section of the tobacco leaf. The variations of chlorine content and potassium/chlorine ratio differed between the tip section and middle section of the leaf. The sensory quality of the base section was lower than that of the middle and tip sections for Henan tobacco leaf, while the sensory quality of the base section of Yunnan tobacco leaf deteriorated significantly when single leaf weight was higher than 20 g. At lower single leaf weight, the differences in chemical composition and sensory quality were minor among the different leaf sections from the same producing area, and the quality consistency of a single leaf was better. Chlorine content and reducing sugar/total sugar ratio were closely correlated to the difference in sensory quality of different sections for Henan tobacco leaf. Therefore, the utilization rate of tobacco leaves could be promoted by combining leaf classification based on single leaf weight with leaf sectioning technology.