From seed to export

[istanbulin]

Finally, I found an English dubbed video about tobacco growing in Turkey. This video belongs to one of the biggest leaf tobacco company in Turkey and represents all stages (growing to manipulation) of İzmir tobacco. A little bit short (approx. 18 min.) for a year long process but quite informative.

 

[bonehead]

that was very interesting and a lot of work.

 

[deluxestogie]

The growing sections of the video are particularly useful with regard to plant spacing in the field. (5 to 10 cm between plants). I also liked seeing the manner by which the leaves were rapidly primed from the stalks.

Bob

 

[istanbulin]

I mentioned the spacing about this variety (also for others) before. As I know 40x5-10 cm was used probably nowadays they're using 30x5-10 planting density.

BTW, I looked up the company's web site and saw that they're providing nine different Oriental leaves from different regions and countries.

Here they are;


İZMİR


NICOTINE
0.90%
SUGAR
16.50%
CHLORIDE
0.50%

SAMSUN

NICOTINE
1.35%
SUGAR
6.00%
CHLORIDE
0.60%

BASMA

NICOTINE
1.86%
SUGAR
10.18%
CHLORIDE
1.10%

KATERINI


NICOTINE
2.00%
SUGAR
10.00%
CHLORIDE
0.6%

DUBEK


NICOTINE
1.35%
SUGAR
12.75%
CHLORIDE
0.6%

PRILEP


NICOTINE
0.63%
SUGAR
10.49%
CHLORIDE
1.02%

YAKA


NICOTINE
0.75-1%
SUGAR
10-15%
CHLORIDE
0.50%

KRUMOVGRAD


NICOTINE
1.10%
SUGAR
14%
CHLORIDE
-

SEMİ ORIENTAL


NICOTINE
0.57-1.31%
SUGAR
4.80-23.05%
CHLORIDE
0.25-0.65%

Source: www.sunel.com

 

[leverhead]

Thank you, that's a great video! I thought the seed beds was the most interesting part, maybe because it's that time of year.

 

[Markw]

Thanks for posting the video Istanbulin it was very interesting.

 

[Indianamac]

Makes me want to go till up some dirt! Very informative post. Thanks!

 

[deluxestogie]

Sunel's image for Samsun doesn't look like the leaf shape of any Samsun that I've grown.

Bob

 

[istanbulin]

What about Canik ? I think that image is an upper leaf of Samsun Canik.

 

[Knucklehead]

The Katerini looks interesting.

 

[deluxestogie]

The Katerini looks like a blond Samsun or Bafra.

Bob

 

[istanbulin]

It's well known that Katerini is derived from a Samsun variety, because of this it's sometimes called "Samsun Katerini". This is the first time I see a "blonde" Katerini leaf, all I saw were reddish brown and partially yellowish leaves. Very blonde leaf is not very usual, it looks like almost flue-cured, very bright.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

What about Canik ? I think that image is an upper leaf of Samsun Canik.

I agree!

 

[Knucklehead]

I thought the Katerini numbers looked pretty good too. A little higher nicotine than usually found in Orientals and the sugar was decent. It should make a nice smoke.

 

[leverhead]

There were some parts of the video that I had some questions about. Here's both sides of an email that should clear some things up.

Hi Istanbulin,

I've been watching that video you posted today, it's a great video. I have some questions though, I think there may be something lost in translation.

In the seed bed part of the video. They mix the seed with ash or water and sow the seed, then they cover it with 1/3 burned sheep dung, 1/3 sand and 1/3 soil, then tamp it flat and water it. Has that been translated out of order, or can tobacco seed germinate covered with soil? Would the sheep dung be burnt/charred or would it be just sterilized with heat?

Later in the video, they talk about "tempering" the tobacco in piles. Would that mean adding moisture?

They are planting in a furrow 5 - 7 cm deep, to be filled by later cultivations. Is that for the plants to have easier access to moisture, or for wind resistance? It must be pretty dry where they are growing, it wouldn't take much rain to flood that field.

Leverhead
--------------------------------------

Hi Leverhead,

Actually burnt/burned dung means composted manure. They directly translate the term into English and this made the term senseless. Yes, seeds can germinate when covered with small amount of manure/soil. As you see they don't cover the seeds deeply.

Tempering is another translation failure, they meant to case the leaves so adding moisture to press them in boxes with minimum breakage.

They fill the bottom of the plants because it helps to keep moisture in soil, blocks evaporation from the soil where roots are in. Also cultivation helps roots to develop better and helps soil/roots to take some nitrogen from air.

Istanbulin

EDIT: Tobacco plants can't fixate atmospheric (molecular) Nitrogen (N[SUB]2[/SUB]) directly but presence of Nitrogen-fixing bacterias in soil allows plant to get and use Nitrogen (Nitrified).