ICAR-CTRI Sulakshana: A High Yielding TMV Resistant and Aphid Tolerant Virginia Tobacco Variety

The Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco grown in Black Soils and Southern Light Soils of Andhra Pradesh is known for its neutral coloury filler character in the export market with low nicotine. The tobacco blends well with any tobacco in cigarette manufacturing.

With an aim to increase and stabilize the productivity levels in the areas, the ICAR-Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh has been striving hard for developing the improved varieties with high yield potential. A new high yielding, superior quality and pest resistant FCV cultivar (TBST2) was evolved through modified pedigree and back cross methods of breeding involving inter-specific hybridization. Based on the comprehensive evaluation, the cultivar was released by the name of “ICAR-CTRI Sulakshana” for commercial cultivation by AP State Seed Sub-Committee.

The Plant of ICAR-CTRI Sulakshana having semi erect habit grows to above 2 m height with light stem of light green to cream coloured and internodes short to medium (5.5 cm on an average). The plant produces a total of 30 to 38 leaves with 27 to 33 economic leaves. The leaves are broadly elliptic, sessile, moderately re-curved, light green cast in nature with medium auricle development. The leaf lamina is very long (~80 cm), broad (~42 cm), margin wavy and tip medium pointed with medium puckering. The flowers are medium pink with a strong expression of corolla tips. The cured leaf is lemon yellow to lemon-orange colour in lower plant positions and lemon-yellow to light orange in higher plant positions. The cured leaf is medium bodied, oily with good ripeness characteristics and good aroma.

Salient features:

v Resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV).

v Tolerant to Aphid.

v Has a yield potential of 3300 kg / ha, an additional yield advantage of 15% over the existing varieties, under rain-fed conditions of AP.

v Good Smoke flavour profile with higher quantities of Geranyl acetone, Neophytadiene, Megastigmatrienone isomers and 3-Hydroxysolavetivone.

v Farmer can get an additional income of Rs. 15,000 to 20,000/- using this variety.

It has been recommended to the tobacco growing Black Soil areas of Andhra Pradesh. It is also suitable for cultivation under the Southern Light Soils of the state. The standard package of practices recommended by ICAR-CTRI for Black soil and Southern Light Soil tobacco growing areas of Andhra Pradesh can be adopted for cultivation of the variety. In addition to the recommended dose of fertilizers, 20% higher Nitrogen needs to be applied to the variety. The pure seed of ICAR-CTRI Sulakshana can be obtained from ICAR-CTRI, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.

(Source: ICAR-Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh)