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CORESTA Congress, Shanghai, 2008, IG 01

Evaluation of tobaccos grown under organic cultural practices

POISSON C.; FRANÇOIS N.; CAILLETEAU B.; ONILLON M.
Institut du Tabac, Imperial Tobacco Group, Bergerac, France

Organic plant cultivation appeals to cultural practices concerned with the respect of natural balances. It limits the use of inputs and excludes the use of chemical fertilizers, GMO and synthetic pesticides with, as a consequence, no PPP residues in the raw matter thus produced. European consumers are asking for more and more organic agricultural products, creating new opportunities and markets. A niche market for organic tobacco appears to exist and may grow. Prior experiments allowed us to select some efficient organic products against the main tobacco diseases. In 2007, greenhouse trials were carried out to establish an organic float bed transplant production. An organic compost was used and among five fertilizers that were evaluated, one helps to produce transplants comparable to traditional ones. Field trials were also set up with two varieties of Burley and two varieties of filler flue-cured tobacco. Organic cultivation was compared to traditional cultivation. Castor-oil plant cake, feather flour and natural potassium sulfate were evaluated as fertilizers and a seaweed elicitor to control blue mould. After topping, rapeseed oil was used to inhibit sucker development. The organic route for Burley tobacco is to be improved in 2008 so as to obtain better quality of cured raw matter and yields, especially by applying part of the organic fertilizers several weeks before planting so that it has time to release nitrogen. Mean yields of organic tobaccos were lower: from 700 to 1600 kg/ha less according to the variety. On the other hand, the flue-cured organic route used was well adapted. Yields were greater than 4000 kg/ha and quality not significantly different from that of the same varieties cultivated according to a classic farming route. Finally, other results concerning physical and chemical measurements on the raw tobaccos will also be discussed as well as smoke evaluation and cigarette sensory analysis.