The fate of magnesium applied to flue-cured tobacco, and its effect on leaf quality and magnesium content

Abstract

In an outdoor trial with tobacco in sand culture, plants were supplied initially with inadequate magnesium for maximum leaf quality. The effects on quality and magnesium concentration of the cures leaf when magnesium supply was increased were studied.Magnesium passed preferentially to the leaves of poor quality at any leaf position depended on the time and size of the of the increase in nutrient magnesium.The longer the delay in adding magnesium at the optimum rate the greater the number of lower leaves of poor quality. Addition of magnesium at above optimum level improved the quality of the leaf lower on the stalk, but led to an accumulation of magnesium in the top leaf with a consequent reduction in quality.