Size is important for tobacco production in yield and the dimensions of different leaf grades but leaf quality is the top priority. Many facets of tobacco agronomy including variety, soil type, fertilisation, irrigation, topping/ suckering and ripening, combine to determine leaf quality before and after the cure. They differ widely in nature, purpose and effect depending on the type of tobacco grown, whether it is 'bright' flue-cured 'Virginia', light air-cured Burley or Oriental. As such, a single article can only scrape at the surface of tobacco growing up to and including picking and how it impacts on and governs quality in tobacco leaf.