Adopted date: February 24,2025
Abstract:
Using cigar-filler variety Chuxue 14 (CX-14) as a material, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different sulfur fertilizer dosages (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg S/hm2) on the agronomic properties, yield, quality and combustibility of cigar tobacco, in order to provide a basis for determining the appropriate sulfur fertilizer dosage and fertilization management for cigar tobacco. The results showed that applying sulfur fertilizer increased the height, maximum leaf width, leaf length, effective leaf number, and SPAD value of cigar tobacco during the field-growth period, increased yield and superior tobacco rate, thus increased output value of cigar tobacco. The yield and output value were highest under 120 kg/hm2 sulfur application, and the superior tobacco rate was highest under 60 kg/hm2 sulfur application. Applying sulfur fertilizer could increase the total sugar, reducing sugar, reducing sugar proportion, and crude protein contents of cigar tobacco, thus could improve the intrinsic quality of cigar tobacco. 60 kg/hm2 sulfur application improved the combustion performance of cigar tobacco by increasing the activation energy during the combustion process, reducing the initial temperature, maximum heat flux temperature and frequency factor, reducing ash content, increasing maximum heat flux and total heat release. Compared with no sulfur application, the maximum heat flux and total heat release were increased by 10.9% and 6.3%, while the frequency factor during combustion decreased by 43.7% under 60 kg/hm2 sulfur application. The above results indicate that 60 kg/hm2 is the appropriate sulfur application for cigar tobacco under the conditions of this experiment. Although excessive sulfur fertilizer application (120 and 180 kg/hm2) can increase the yield and economic benefits of cigar tobacco, it is not conducive to the improvement of tobacco combustion performance. Therefore, in the process of cigar tobacco planting, it can be considered to appropriately reduce the application of potassium sulfate fertilizer, and replace it with potassium carbonate and other potash fertilizers, in order to reduce the negative impacts of excessive sulfur fertilizer on the combustion performance of tobacco as well as soil acidification.