Regional Distribution Characteristics of Reducing Sugar/Nicotine Ratio of Flue-cured Tobacco in Bijie Tobacco Growing Areas and Relationship Thereof with Sensory Quality

To reveal the distribution characteristics of reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of flue-cured tobacco in Bijie tobacco growing areas and relationship thereof with sensory quality, the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of 342 samples of C3 F from Bijie was analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis and cluster analysis. Regression analysis was conducted between reducing sugar/nicotine ratio and sensory quality. The results showed that the mean value of reducing sugar/nicotine ratio was 9.64±3.80 with the coefficient of variation of 39.36%, and the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of 96.4% of the samples fell in the range of 4.00 to 20.00. With the ascent of altitude, the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of tobacco increased. Reducing sugar/nicotine ratio significantly differed between tobaccos from different areas and altitudes. Eight tobacco growing counties in Bijie were clustered into three categories on the basis of reducing sugar/nicotine ratio, Zhijin, Qianxi, Nayong and Qixingguan counties belonged to Category Ⅰwith the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of 8.39±2.48, Dafang and Jinsha counties were in CategoryⅡ with the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of 9.82±4.62, Hezhang and Weining counties in Category Ⅲ with the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio of 11.59 ± 3.74. In the range of 4.00 to 28.00, the reducing sugar/nicotine ratio posed an extremely significant regression relationship with sensory quality indicators(except for combustibility). Tobacco offered better sensory quality when its reducing sugar/nicotine ratio was in the range of 8.00-22.00.