Tobacco Nutrient Know-How Quiz

Explore essential nutrient requirements and management practices for successful tobacco cultivation. This quiz covers key elements affecting growth, quality, and yield in tobacco agriculture.

  1. Role of Nitrogen

    Which nutrient is most directly responsible for stimulating leaf growth and overall biomass in tobacco plants?

    1. Calcium
    2. Potassium
    3. Magnesium
    4. Nitrogen

    Explanation: Nitrogen is crucial for vegetative growth and is central to chlorophyll and protein formation, hence directly boosting leaf production. Potassium affects leaf quality and disease resistance, not primary growth. Calcium helps in cell wall strength, and magnesium is part of chlorophyll but less impactful on overall biomass than nitrogen.

  2. Potassium and Leaf Quality

    In tobacco cultivation, an adequate supply of which nutrient improves cured leaf color, texture, and burning quality?

    1. Phosphorus
    2. Potassium
    3. Boron
    4. Sulfur

    Explanation: Potassium is essential for improving cured leaf properties such as color and burn quality. Phosphorus supports root development, sulfur influences protein synthesis, and boron mainly aids cell wall formation rather than desired leaf traits.

  3. Deficiency Symptoms

    Tobacco plants show yellowing of older leaves and stunted growth when which essential macronutrient is deficient?

    1. Copper
    2. Zinc
    3. Molybdenum
    4. Nitrogen

    Explanation: Deficiency of nitrogen leads to chlorosis (yellowing) of older leaves and reduced growth rates. Copper and zinc deficiencies have different symptoms, mainly deformities or necrosis. Molybdenum deficiency is rare and primarily affects nitrate conversion.

  4. Soil pH Influence

    How does soil pH primarily affect tobacco plant nutrition?

    1. It changes light absorption rates
    2. It increases disease resistance directly
    3. It shortens the harvest period
    4. It alters nutrient availability for root uptake

    Explanation: Soil pH affects how easily nutrients can be absorbed by plant roots, influencing deficiencies or toxicities. It does not directly increase disease resistance, alter light absorption, or shorten the harvest period in tobacco.

  5. Chloride Sensitivity

    Why should fertilizers low in chloride be used in tobacco cultivation?

    1. Chloride boosts unwanted weed growth
    2. Low chloride improves soil aeration
    3. Chloride delays seed germination
    4. High chloride impairs leaf quality and burning properties

    Explanation: Excessive chloride can negatively affect the curing quality, color, and burning properties of tobacco leaves. Chloride has no direct connection to weed growth, seed germination delays, or soil aeration enhancement.