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Effect of Row and Within-Row Spacings on Yield and Quality of Flue-Cured Tobacco¹

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of spacing on the cured leaf of flue-cured tobacco. One involved different numbers of skipped rows and the other involved plant spacings within the row. Yields increased as the number of skipped rows increased. Also, the value per 45.35 kg increased as the number of skipped rows increased, which may indicate a better quality of tobacco produced with the wide rows. Alkaloid content was somewhat lower as the number of skipped rows increased, and the filling value decreased as the number of rows increased. In comparing the common practice of planting four rows and skipping one to the older method of continuous rows, there seemed to be little difference in the cured leaf for reducing sugars, total alkaloids, filling value, or equilibrium moisture content. However, an increase in yield (92 kg) and value per hectare ($188.00) was obtained by skipping every fifth row. In general, the more plants per acre the greater the yield when the plants were topped to a common leaf number. Wider spacings within the row gave the higher value per 45.35 kg; however, there was no difference between the 61- and 69-cm spacing. There was little difference in reducing sugars for any of the spacings, but there was a tendency for alkaloids to increase as spacings increased. Distance between plants in the row seemed to have little effect on filling value and equilibrium moisture content. Results indicate that above 61-cm spacing in the row is too wide and that close spacing although producing more money return per hectare may tend to reduce the quality of the cured leaf.

Key Words: Nicotiana tabacum • reducing reducing sugars • alkaloids • equilibrium moisture content

² Principal Agronomist and Agricultural Research Technician, Crops Research Division, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, Md. 20705, and Florence, S. C. 29501, respectively.

³ Professor and Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Soils, South Carolina Experiment Station. Pee Dee Experiment Station, Florence, S. C., respectively.

Received for publication November 6, 1967.