In recent years there has been in Italy a certain varietal disorder in Oriental tobaccos. The Italian Organizations concerned with this thype of tobacco have made a great effort to go back to good tobacco quality. A financial aid from the C.C.E. and from the Italian Department of Agriculture has established a large programme (5 years beginning 1979) concerning genetic and cultural tests to improve Oriental tobacco quality. The genetic tests are the following : 1st _ Plant selection followed by comparative tests of their progenies and other cultivars. 2nd _ Breeding new cvs after androgenesis. 3rd _ Definition of varietal models and identification of standard cultivars. 4th _ From these varieties, identification and evaluation of characteristics of the smoke. Comparative tests (1st) _ To save time, tobacco plants were chosen in 1978 in typical Oriental Tobacco districts (Puglia, Abruzzo, Campania, Besilicata, Lazio) : 99 Xanthi, 46 Perustitza and 53 Erzegovina were s elected by experts from Italian Organizations. In 1979, field experiments were performed in Puglia, Abruzzo, Lazio and Campania (small plot test). In 1980, the following comparative tests were undertaken : 4 Xanthi (105 entries); 3 Erzegovina (67 entries); 3 Perustitza (58 entries) in incomplete blocks (small plot test). Androgenesis (2nd) _ In 1979, 5 Perustitza cvs were obtained by androgenesis of F1 hybrids. In 1980, comparison was made between the 5 cultivars in a small plot test; in the meantime several isogenic cultivars were obtained from F1 hybrids of Erzegovina, Xanthi and Perustitza. Standards (3rd) _ Varietal models have been defined by Oriental tobacco experts. Smoke (4th) _ Experiences on tar and nicotine content are in progress (1st point). At the end of the year 1983, the best cultivars of Oriental tobaccos will be released.