Breeding for Yield, Quality and Associated Traits in the Zimbabwean Flue-Cured Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.): A Review

Abstract

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) has grown to become a major cash crop and foreign currency earner in Zimbabwe. The crop’s popularity in the country is dependent on the climatic and soil conditions that promote the production of flavour style cures which are well sought after by the majority of tobacco merchants and cigarette manufacturers across the world. The success story of tobacco farming in Zimbabwe is mainly attributed to the presence of an organised research system in the form of the Tobacco Research Board (TRB) that includes a dedicated division in the research unit specialising in variety development and promotion. Improvement in yield and quality of the cured leaf has are the main objectives of flue –cured tobacco breeders. Since the beginning of research in flue cured tobacco production in Zimbabwe, a lot of effort has been dedicated to improving these and other associated traits. This review paper traces the process of breeding for improvement in yield and quality in flue-cured tobacco in Zimbabwe. It shows the methods employed and identifies some of the potential sources of genes for use in improvement in flue-cured tobacco yield and quality in present and future breeding work.