Leaf structure in relation to quality in flue-cured tobacco

Abstract

The morphology and anatomy of flue-cured tobacco leaf are described and efforts made to relate the structural features of the leaf to the indices used by the tobacco trade in assessing leaf quality. There is a close relationship between the anatomy and morphology of the leaf and its position on the stalk. Assessor's indices are also closely associated with leaf position. Thickness and weight per unit area of leaf are measures of "body", while cell size and compactness of cell arrangement are the physical basis of "grain". "Elasticity" is not related to any particular anatomical or morphological characters; it is associated with some water-soluble constituent or constituents of the leaf, which enable the leaf to remain pliable at low moisture contents. "Lustre" also is not related to any structural features. Indirect evidence suggests that "lustre" is an indicator of chemical composition. "Body" and "grain" of the cured leaf might be forecast from the anatomical structure of the green leaf, but "elasticity" and "lustre" could not be forecast.