Introduction to the crop

• An important cash crop grown for its leaves (accounts of billions of trade globally).
• The world’s most important non-food crop that contributes substantially to the economy of more than 150 countries around the globe.
• Used as chewing, cigarettes, cigars and other purposes.
• Industrially used in production of Nicotine sulfate (insecticide) and Nicotinic acid (component of Vitamin complex).
• A waxy resin component in tobacco known as ‘Cenbraboides’ have been found to have strong growth and tumor inhibiting properties, and are strongly neuro-protective, thus is being tested in cancer treatment.
• Among the developing countries tobacco is a popular crop in Nigeria, Tanzania, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Nepal and Thailand.
• China ranks first in the acreage and production throughout the globe followed by Brazil, India and the USA.
• In Nepal, tobacco is a major crop in a rotation, chiefly in the eastern terai.

Origin and History

• Tobacco originated in the west-southern hemisphere, and the types of tobacco currently being cultivated evolved in Mexico and Central America.
• Nicotina tabaccum believed to be originated in North-west Argentina and adjacent Bolivia, while N. rustica in the highlands of Peru, Equador and Bolivia.
• The discovery of narcotic quality goes to Christopher Columbus and introduced to Europe from America by Columbus and his colleagues.
• The term tobacco is thought to be derived from the Native American word ‘Tobago’ for a Y-shaped pipe they used in smoking.
• Botanical name, Nicotiana and word Nicotine derived from name of French Ambassador, Jean Nicot in Portugal, who first introduced it in France around 1590.
• The first industry, ‘In New York City’ was established by Pierre Lorillard to process tobacco, cigars and snuff in 1760.
• Its insecticidal properties were first tested by Samuel Green in 1836.
• Tobacco is believed to have been introduced to Indian sub-continent by Portuguese sailors.
• Virginia tobacco, however, was introduced in India and the remaining parts of the sub-continent by the Indian Leaf Tobacco Development Company in 1920.