Effects of Combined Application of Different Fertilizers on Combustibility and Quality of Oriental Tobacco Leaves

Effects of combined application of different fertilizers on the combustibility and quality of oriental tobacco leaves were studied with field experiments. The results showed that with potassium rate increasing and sulfur rate decreasing in fertilizers, the contents of chemical components in cured oriental tobacco leaves were more reasonable and the sensory quality improved significantly. This series of effects by combination of compound fertilizer, potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate were superior to those by combination of compound fertilizer and potassium sulfate. With increasing sulfur rate in fertilizer, the sulfur content in cured oriental tobacco leaves were enhanced markedly, while the smoldering time distinctly declined. Grey relationship analysis on the experimental data indicated that the smoldering time of oriental tobacco had positive correlation with the potassium content, the ratio of potassium to sulfur, the ratio of potassium to chlorine, and it had negative relationship with the content of sulfur and chlorine. The order of grey correlation degree from high to low was as sulfur>potassium>ratio of potassium to sulfur>chlorine>ratio of potassium to chlorine in the upper leaf of oriental tobacco, and potassium>ratio of potassium to sulfur>ratio of potassium to chlorine>sulfur>chlorine in the cutters of oriental tobacco.