Harvesting

• The ripening process in tobacco consists of deposition of starch and gradual elimination of green coloration.
• Thus, the leaves are ready to harvest when they turn into lighter shade of green to slightly yellow color and become thick and so brittle that when a section of leaf is folded, it snaps easily.
• The stage of maturity and the method of harvesting differ with the type of tobacco.
• The tobacco leaves do not ripe uniformly; the lower older leaves ripe first followed by the middle ones and the upper ones.
• Usually harvesting starts after 90-120 days after transplanting. Generally, two methods of harvesting are practiced, viz; Priming and Stalk cutting