Majd Darwish*⁽¹⁾ Youssef  Mohammad ⁽¹⁾ and Oula Youssef ⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Majd Darwish. E-Mail: majds26@yahoo.com).

Received: 21/04/2023                      Accepted: 8/06/2023

Abstract: 

An The experiment was carried out at Al-Darouqiyat village in Lattakia governorate during the 2022 year, by the cultivation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seedlings according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates per treatment. The research aimed to study the effect of nitrogen fertilization treatments (0, 100, 150 and 200 kg/ha) or foliar spraying with mannitol (0, 15, 30 and 45 g/L), or nitrogen fertilization and spraying with mannitol together on some growth characteristics and productivity and quality traits of the studied tobacco variety. Plant height (cm) and a number of morphological indicators (total leaf area (cm²), leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (g/m²/day)), productivity (fresh and dry leaves yield (kg/1000 m²)) and quality (the content of dry leaves of phosphorus, soluble sugars, proteins, non-protein nitrogen and nicotine %) were measured. Nitrogen fertilization treatments, especially at rates 150 and 200 kg/ha, and spraying with mannitol (30 and 45 g/L) led to a significant increase (P<0.05) in most of the growth indicators and leaf yield, and the positive effect of mannitol on leaf quality was more noticeable compared to nitrogen fertilization. The nitrogen fertilization and mannitol spraying treatments together increased the values of growth, productivity and quality indicators, when using 100 kg /ha nitrogen with 45 g/L mannitol, and at most of the nitrogen treatments with 15 g/L mannitol. Thus, nitrogen fertilization of tobacco at 100 kg/ha with mannitol spraying at 45 g/L concentration, or fertilization at rates of 100-150-200 kg/ha with a spray concentration of 15 g/L mannitol, or spraying with mannitol at concentrations of 30-45 g/L are recommended due to their positive role in increasing the quantity and quality of leaf yield.

Keywords: Nicotiana tabacum L.; Nitrogen; Mannitol; Productivity; Quality.

Full paper in Arabic:  pdf