Not AvailableHarvel De Bouxo Rio Grande (HDBRG) tobacco is
grown in the Guntur tract of Andhra Pradesh and is
used in cigarette blends. The report that HDBRG
tobacco is a rich source of solanesol has prompted
to take up detailed investigations on the chemical
quality parameters, lipophilic constituents and
neutral volatile compounds responsible for flavour.
HDBRG was found to be high in nicotine (2.9- 4.9%);
low in reducing sugars (0.5 – 0.9%) and chlorides
(0.2 – 0.3%). In respect of nutrient composition, the
total nitrogen was high (2.9 – 3.8%), potassium was
medium (0.7 – 1.7%) and phosphorus was low (~
0.2%). Solanesol content in the samples varied from
1.60 to 2.80% with mean values of 1.97 and 2.46%
for the seasons 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively.
Total hexane solubles or petroleum ether extractives
(PEE) content in HDBRG tobacco was high (~ 10%)
and solanesol accounted for ~ 25% of the extract.
Further investigations were initiated for
characterization of the non-polar and polar fractions
which account for 5.8 – 8.3% and 1.1 – 2.1% of the
hexane extract, respectively employing techniques
like GC-MS and LC-MS. In the neutral volatile
fraction, neophytadiene, megastigmatrienone
isomers, duvatrienediol, thunbergol,
dibutylphthalate, solanone, (E,E)-farnesylacetone, 4-
oxo-beta-isodamascol and phenylacetaldehyde
accounted for ~96% of the compounds. Nerolidol
(0.7%), rishitin (0.7%), neryl acetone (0. 5%), (12z)-
abienol (0.3%), phenylethyl alcohol (0.3%), indole
(0.2%), viridiflorol (0.2%), 3-hydroxysolavetivone
(0.1%), â-damascone (0.03%) and 14-labdien-8-ol
(0.05%) are the other important flavour compounds
identified. It is inferred from the data that presence
of higher levels of these compounds could be
attributed to higher nitrogen and nicotine contents
in HDBRG leaf thus indicating their positive impact
on the smoke flavour.Not Availabl
