Abstract
BackgroundWeather change in high-altitude areas subjects mature tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to cold stress, which damages tobacco leaf yield and quality. A brupt diurnal temperature differences (the daily temperature dropping more than 20 °C) along with rainfall in tobacco-growing areas at an altitude above 2450 m, caused cold stress to field-grown tobacco.ResultsAfter the flue-cured tobacco suffered cold stress in the field, the surface color of tobacco leaves changed and obvious large browning areas were appeared, and the curing availability was extremely poor. Further research found the quality of fresh tobacco leaves, the content of key chemical components, and the production quality were greatly reduced by cold stress. We hypothesize that cold stress in high altitude environments destroyed the antioxidant enzyme system of mature flue-cured tobacco. Therefore, the quality of fresh tobacco leaves, the content of key chemical components, and the production quality were greatly reduced by cold stress.ConclusionThis study confirmed that cold stress in high-altitude tobacco areas was the main reason for the browning of tobacco leaves during the tobacco curing process. This adverse environment seriously damaged the quality of tobacco leaves, but can be mitigated by pay attention to the weather forecast and pick tobacco leaves in advance.
Highlights
Weather change in high-altitude areas subjects mature tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to cold stress, which damages tobacco leaf yield and quality
The results showed that the activities of POD, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and CAT of tobacco leaves in greenhouse were higher than those outside greenhouse, while the content and growth rate of MDA in tobacco leaves were lower than those outside greenhouse, which indicated that tobacco leaves outside greenhouse suffered obvious chilling stress, which led to the increase of cell membrane permeability and the destruction of physiological and biochemical environment
In Yunnan tobacco-growing areas at an altitude above 2450 m, we found that flue-cured tobacco at maturity stage was vulnerable to cold stress when the daily temperature difference was greater than 20 °C and accompanied by rainfall
Summary
Weather change in high-altitude areas subjects mature tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to cold stress, which damages tobacco leaf yield and quality. A brupt diurnal temperature differences (the daily temperature dropping more than 20 °C) along with rainfall in tobacco-growing areas at an altitude above 2450 m, caused cold stress to field-grown tobacco. The low temperatures that cause cold stress to plants are still above freezing, and the damage to crops is mainly reflected in cell dehydration, damage to the plasma membrane system, and disorder of enzyme activity, which in turn damages the leaf physiological and biochemical systems [3]. Crops subjected to cold stress change in appearance to present chlorosis and flavescence as well as wilting and leaf shrinkage [4]. The mechanism underlying field cold stress on tobacco in the harvest period would be useful production knowledge
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