Abstract: In order to clarify the effects of varying steam dryness on cut tobacco quality in different processes of tobacco primary processing, experiments were conducted during the tobacco-steam direct contact process of a tunnel-type tobacco conditioner and the tobacco-steam non-direct contact process of a cylinder dryer. The results showed that: 1)In the direct contact process, with the increase of steam dryness, the tobacco temperature increased while the moisture content in cut tobacco decreased. When the steam dryness exceeded 85%, the mass fractions of total plant alkaloids, total water-soluble sugars, reducing sugar, potassium, and chlorine in cut tobacco gradually increased. There was no significant change in the quantities of chemical components in mainstream smoke of cigarettes under different steam dryness, and the sensory quality of cigarettes improved with the increase in steam dryness. Therefore, in the direct contact process, steam dryness should preferably be above 85%. 2)In the non-direct contact process, with the increase of steam dryness, the dehydration rate of cut tobacco increased, while the SD of moisture content in cut tobacco decreased. When the steam dryness exceeded 80%, the stability of moisture content in cut tobacco gradually increased. There was no significant change in the quantities of chemical components in mainstream smoke of cigarettes under different steam dryness, and the sensory quality of cigarettes improved significantly when the steam dryness exceeded 90%. Therefore, the steam dryness should preferably be above 90% for the non-direct contact process.