Effect of different nitrogen and potassium fertilizer levels on quality and quantity yield of flue-cured tobacco (Coker 347)

In order to determine the effect of different nitrogen and potassium rates on flue-cured tobacco (Coker 347), an experiment performed in the tobacco research institute at Rasht, north of Iran, in 2010. Four Nitrogen levels (100, 150, 200 and 250 kg/ha) and three Potassium levels (250, 300 and 350 kg/ha) were investigated as factorial experiments in randomized complete block design with four replication. In this study, the effect of Nitrogen and Potassium levels on height, total leaf, leaf length, leaf width, green leaf yield, cured leaf yield, start of flowering, End of flowering, average income and chemical component such as nicotine percentage and sugar percentage was evaluated. Effect of nitrogen levels on total leaf, leaf length, leaf width, green leaf yield, cured leaf yield, end of flowering and income were significant at 1% probability level, also on height, start of flowering and nicotine percentage were significant at 5% probability level. Results show that addition of nitrogen levels up to 250 kg/ha increased height, total leaf, leaf length, leaf width, green leaf yield, cured leaf yield, start of flowering, end of flowering and nicotine percentage. Also, the highest income was related to 150 kg/ha nitrogen fertilizer. There were significant differences among potassium fertilizer levels on income and sugar percentage. Addition of potassium fertilizer levels, up to 350 kg/ha increased income and sugar percentage. There were no significant differences on interaction affect of nitrogen and potassium. © IDOSI Publications, 2011.