Four cms F1 flue-cured hybrids cv Wislica x cv. Virginia Golta, the male fertile analogue and the parental varieties were tested at two locations in Poland in a replicated field trial. The cms sources in the hybrids were N. suaveolens , N. amplexicaulis , N. bigelovii and a N. tabacum cms mutant. Under the slight to moderate pressure from black root rot present at the trial sites the hybrids showed a moderate tolerance of the disease characteristic of V. Golta as opposed to medium strong susceptibility of Wislica. Apart from the effect of black root rot tolerance the vegetative vigour of the hybrids (plant height, leaf size, earliness) was affected by cytoplasm source. The cms suaveolens flowered ca. 3 days later than the remaining hybrids. Of the cms hybrids tested cms bigelovii produced the tallest plants with largest mid-position leaves. Yields of cured leaves were largely influenced by black root rot and were generally higher in V. Golta and in the hybrids than in Wislica. Leaf yields and curability were generally little affected by cms source under low pressure from black root rot. At the site with a relatively high level of black root infestation the yields of cms suaveolens were slightly lower but the percentage of light grades slightly higher compared to those of other cms hybrids. Cms suaveolens was the best hybrid in terms of money returns at the low black root rot field but it the poorest hybrid performer under high pressure from the disease. Leaf chemistry was little affected by source of cms. There was an increased incidence of PVY and white spots in cms suaveolens and, to a lesser extent, in cms bigelovii as compared to the remaining disease-free entries.