SQM treatments in tobacco: the role of plant nutrition

There are different types of tobacco (such as Virginia, Burley, Oriental, and Black), each with its own characteristics in terms of flavor, aroma, and chemical composition, making it a crop of great economic and social importance.

Tobacco cultivation

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is grown in a wide range of tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. For its optimal development, it requires between 90 and 120 frost-free days, with ideal temperatures of 19 to 28 °C in the field and never below 16 °C during the seedling stage.

Under normal conditions, the plant reaches between 1 and 2 meters in height, with an average production of 15 to 25 leaves per plant, concentrating much of its root system in the first 30 cm of soil.

This crop requires soils with good internal drainage, a pH between 5.2 and 6.5, and an adequate balance of air and water. It is highly sensitive to excess salts, particularly Chlorine and Sodium, which reduce the size of the plant and its leaves.

The choice of soil also varies according to the type of tobacco: lighter varieties such as Virginia and Oriental prefer light soils with lower cation exchange capacity, while Burley and darker tobaccos grow better in heavier soils with higher organic matter content.

In this context, SQM has developed plant nutrition programs that optimize tobacco quality and yield, adapted to each soil and climate condition.

A concrete example is the study conducted in Uganda in collaboration with British American Tobacco (BAT), where the application of SQM’s Potassium nitrate to Burley tobacco resulted in a visible increase in plant size and a 40% increase in leaf yield, which translated into greater profitability for small producers.

This case confirms that proper nutritional management, especially the supply of Potassium and Calcium, is crucial to achieving high-quality tobacco with firm leaves suitable for use as filler, binder, and wrapper in the cigar industry.