Analysis on content of total volatile alkali, total volatile acid and pH value in flue-cured tobacco leaves from Guangdong tobacco-growing areas
[Objective]Characteristics of total volatile alkali,total volatile acid and pH value were researched in flue-cured tobacco samples from Guangdong tobacco-growing areas,in order to provide theoretical references for cultivation and utilization of Guangdong flue-cured tobacco.[Method]Contents of total volatile alkali,total volatile acid and pH value in flue-cured tobacco leaves from Guangdong Province among different production areas,different tobacco grades and different tobacco cultivars were compared,and the relationship among total volatile alkali,total volatile acid and pH value was researched by partial correlation analysis.[Result]Content of total volatile alkali in Guangdong flue-cured tobacco was low,with the mean content of (0.27±0.09)%,and total volatile acid content was very low,with the mean content of (0.11±0.04)%,and the average pH value was 5.32±0.20.Contents of total volatile alkali,total volatile acid and pH value in Guangdong flue-cured tobacco leaves had some differences among different tobacco-growing areas,different grades and different cultivars,and difference of pH value was bigger.Contents of total volatile alkali and total volatile acid of Guangdong flue-cured tobacco leaves had no significant difference (P>0.05) among different tobacco-growing areas,different grades and different cultivars,and pH value had highly significant difference (P<0.01) among different tobacco-growing areas and different cultivars,but there were not significant differences among different grades.Total volatile acid had highly significant negative correlation with total volatile alkali and pH value in Guangdong flue-cured tobacco leaves,and total volatile alkali had highly significant negative correlation with pH value.[Conclusion]Total volatile alkali content is low,and total volatile acid contents are generally low in Guangdong flue-cured tobacco samples.Total contents of volatile alkali and volatile acid in flue-cured tobacco can be increased appropriately by improving maturity degree of tobacco harvest,applying ammonium and nitrate nitrogen reasonably and fermenting tobacco leaves scientifically.