Wholesale Bulk Tobacco

Proper nutrition of tobacco is prerequisite to achieving high yields of cured leaf possessing desired marketing characteristics. The maintenance of a desirable nutrient environment, including potassium (K), is one of the most critical factors in crop management.

Tobacco is a high‐value, labor intensive crop with high production costs. This chapter reviews the aspects of K nutrition involved in the production of high yields of useful tobacco. The amount of K often exceeds that required for maximum yields but is applied on the basis of improving leaf and smoking quality.

Potassium sulfate is the recommended source of K on tobacco, although differences in response to source generally can be attributed to the accompanying anion. The amount of K required for maximum yields of tobacco varies with soil test level of K, soil types, and other factors. High concentrations of K+ in cured leaves have been shown to improve several quality indices.