Physical Properties of Non-Fermented and Fermented Tobacco of Burley Varieties and Lines
Abstract
The physical properties of the raw material are an objective indicator of the quality of the tobacco leaves and a reflection of their structure. They are very closely related to the structure and the content of the organic matter in the leaf. The selection of the variety, the applied agricultural techniques, the environmental conditions during the vegetation period, the leaf position, the technological maturity, as well as the conditions during drying, are important factors that have a strong impact on the formation of the physical and technological properties of the tobacco raw material. The tests included 4 varieties and 2 lines, namely: L-8 (control variety, Zimbabwe), Kentucky-22 (USA), B-963 (Bulgaria) and B-1246 (Bulgaria), all infertile form, as well as the male sterile hybrid lines B-204/15 CMS F and B-206 A/15 CMS F . The test was 1 1 planted in 4 repetitions with a planting density of 90×50 cm according to the Randomized Block System method. After the evaluation of the tobacco according to the current Rulebook for qualitative evaluation of raw tobacco, we separated tobacco material from the middle belt, in order to get an insight into the differences of the physical properties from the examined varieties and lines in the non-fermented and fermented tobacco. The percentage portion of the main (mid) rib, the thickness of the leaves, and the materiality of the leaves, are important physical indicators of the quality of the raw material, and from the obtained results we can point out the line B-206 A/15 CMS F , where the average content of the main rib of the non-1 fermented tobacco leaf is within the limits of 26.82%, in the line B-206 A/15 CMS F there is up to 25.13% portion of the 1 main rib of the fermented leafs. The leaf portion in the newly obtained line is within the range from 73.18% (non-fermented tobacco leaf) to 74.87% (fermented tobacco leaf). The materiality is within the range from 41.26 g/m² for non-fermented tobacco leaf up to 41.90 g/m² for fermented tobacco leaf, and the leaf thickness is 91.5 μm (non-fermented tobacco leaf) up to 77.2 μm (fermented tobacco leaf).
The obtained data from non-fermented and fermented tobacco, the content of the main rib (%), the thickness of the tobacco leaves (μm), the materiality of the leaves (g/cm2), are determined according to recognized methods that are being applied in the operation of the accredited laboratory-L04 within the Department of Technology, Fermentation and Fabrication at the Scientific Tobacco Institute Prilep.
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Introduction
The raw material of the burley type within the composition of the blend cigarettes participates with approximately 30%. In addition to oriental tobacco varieties in North Macedonia, few years ago large-leaf tobacco varieties were grown, there are favorable conditions for these varieties, and therefore we hope that they will be apart of the tobacco production again. The introduction of the burley type in the typical structure of our country was made by Rudolf Gornik. The author (1985) notes that this tobacco type can be successfully grown only on rich soils in and humid climates with frequent rainfall. In the early seventies, this type of tobacco was the point of departure in the search for a variety that will prove to be the best according to most properties (primarily yield and quality). The burley type is dried in the shade in a closed space, it is an integral part of the blend cigarette mixture, and it is used both for a pipe and as a chewing tobacco. The typical characteristic of burley is a leaf with a spongy tissue and a great ability to absorb liquid substances. The content of nicotine and proteins is high, and as a result of the long drying process, it contains alow amount of sugar, in traces. Its taste is sharp (ammonia-like), it is used for making American blend cigarettes, whereby it participates with approximately 30% in this mixture (Stankovic, 2002, Georgiev, 2002, Radojčić, 2011). The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy has recognized several burley male sterile varieties of the Scientific Tobacco Institute-Prilep, including: B-96/85 CMS F , Burley 1 CMS F , B-2/93 CMS 1 1 F and Pelagonec CMS F , all of which are different and have their own specifics. These varieties meet the physical, 1 1 technological, degustatory and chemical characteristics that are typical of the burley type. Continuously throughout the operation of the Scientific Tobacco Institute Prilep, because there is no ideal variety that is created once and for all, but there is a variety that atone point is better than the others, the Department of Genetics, Selection and Seed Control in the Scientific Tobacco Institute Prilep still continues to create new varieties, as well as many new hybrid lines, including B-204/15 CMS F 1 and B-206 A/15 CMS F which we analyze in the test. This primarily refers to varieties (genotypes) that will provide higher 1 yields, quality and appropriate technological, chemical and degustatory properties. According to Uzunoski (1985), the physical and technological properties of the raw material are an integral part of the quality of the raw material and together with the chemical and degustatory properties they make a natural connection that the quality of the tobacco leaf depends on. During the tobacco fermentation, oxidation-reduction reactions occur, as well as reactions of hydrolytic decomposition and condensation of specific chemical compounds. These entire reactions makeup the complete fermentation process, indicates Boceski (2003). The chemical composition of tobacco changes, through the regrouping of molecules and the decomposition of compounds into end products, which are separated from the tobacco substrate in the air and in the environment. In this way, not only that the quality of tobacco changes, but tobacco also loses weight. This weight loss is caused by compounds that are separated from the organic matter and apart of the hygroscopic water. This loss is a general loss, while the loss of the tobacco’sorganic mass is a loss of dry mass or fermentation sludge. Some physical changes that occur after fermentation will be seen in the following presentation.
Conclusion
Based on the obtained results, the following conclusions can be drawn: The line B-206 A/15 CMS F1 is characterized by the lowest percentage portion of the main rib in the examined varieties and lines, where the portion of the main rib in the non-fermented tobacco leaf is 26.82%, and in the fermented one it is 25.13%. The highest percentage of the main rib is of the variety Kentucky-22 in non-fermented tobacco (32.76%) and fermented tobacco (30.29%). The leaf percentage portion is highest in the non-fermented tobacco from line B-206 A/15 CMS F (73.18%) and the 1 fermented tobacco (74.87%). The Kentucky-22 variety has the lowest percentage of leaves, the non-fermented has 67.24%, and the fermented tobacco has 69.71% leaves. The leaf materiality of the non-fermented tobacco is within the range from 35.50 g/m2 in the variety B-963, up to 57.08 g/m2 in the line B-204/15 CMS F . The newly obtained line B-206 A/15 CMS F is characterized by lower materiality 1 1 (41.26 g/m2) compared to the other varieties, which is a positive indicator of the quality of the tobacco raw material. After the fermentation of the tobacco leaves, the materiality is within the range from 53.29 g/m2 in the control variety L-8, up to 38.58 g/m2 in the variety B-963. The leaf thickness is highest in the non-fermented tobacco of the variety B-1246 (102.6 μm) and it is 82.5 μm in the fermented tobacco of the same variety compared to other varieties and lines. The lowest leaf thickness is found in the variety B-963 (78.3 μm) in the non-fermented tobacco, and 76.0 μm in the fermented tobacco leaves.
From the tests we can conclude that the newly obtained line B-206 A/15 CMS F has typical physical properties for the 1 burley type.
