New Tobacco Variety – "Bahlul 87", Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic

International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research ISSN (Print): 2833-2091, ISSN (Online): 2833-2105 Volume 04 Issue 11 November 2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55677/ijlsar/V04I11Y2025-10 Impact Factor: 7.88 , Page No : 701-706 www.ijlsar.orglable at: iAva 6 70| 701 P a g e New Tobacco Variety – “Bahlul 87”, Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic Nargiz M. Abdullaeva1, Aminat I. Aliyeva2 , Gabil A. Kazimov3 1,2,3 Research Institute of Agriculture, Zagatala Zonal Experimental Station AZ 0062, Zagatala city, G. Aliyev Ave.-63 ABSTRACT The article publishes agrobiological and morphological characteristics, the demand for the variety to external environmental conditions and agricultural technology, its resistance to diseases in natural and artificial background, the percentage of disease prevalence and pest damage of the newly created tobacco variety - "Bahlul-87", and also studied the soil and climatic conditions for growing the variety, seeding rates and timing of planting seedlings. The yield indicators were analyzed by a comparative method. The tobacco variety "Bahlul-87" was obtained in the Zagatala Zonal Experimental Station of the Research Institute of Agriculture by hybridization, in dryland conditions of the Sheki-Zagatala region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. KEYWORDS: tobacco, variety, agrobiological and morphological characteristics, resistance to diseases and pests, quality, yield Published Online: November 26, 2025 Corresponding Author: Gabil A. Kazimov INTRODUCTION Tobacco plants grown in vast areas of the world. The demand for aromatic tobacco is increasing every day. It contains 4-7% protein, 14-24% soluble carbohydrates, 1-2.5% nicotine and 12-16% ash. The quality of the extract of tobacco is determined on a 100-point scale based on the following indicators: aroma, taste, smoke density and hardness. At the time of tasting, Burley tobacco has an aroma of 90%, taste of 80%, smoke density of 90%, and hardness of 90% [2; 4]. The Virginia variety has an aroma of 60%, taste of 70%, smoke density of 70% and hardness of 70%. It has a pleasant taste and aroma. Growing tobacco satisfies farmers and increases their income due to a high yield [3; 8; 15]. The average annual temperature is +10.5oC, +12.6oC in the mountains decreases to +3oC. Relative air humidity is relatively high (70-75%) and remains so throughout the growing season of cultivated crops, which has a positive effect on their growth and development, especially tobacco grown in the Sheki-Zakatala region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The average annual precipitation is 600-700 mm, and with increasing terrain above sea level it increases to 900 mm [4; 6]. The yield and quality of tobacco raw materials are influenced by soil and climatic conditions, agricultural technology used and tobacco variety [11]. Soils are meadowforest, alluvial-meadow, meadow-marsh, mountain-brown, mountain-forest - brown, mountain-meadow. These soils vary in thickness, mechanical composition, skeleton and fertility. Soils where the humus content varies within 3.3% are the best for the production of high-quality skeletal tobacco [13; 17]. For normal growth of tobacco plants, sufficient moisture, nutrients in the soil, heat, light are necessary, and after the plants develop a sufficiently powerful root system, their above-ground part - leaves and stems - begins to grow intensively. Growing tobacco is similar to growing other crops. Depending on the type of tobacco, seedlings should be planted at a distance of 35-1.20 cm from each other. Immediately after planting, seedlings planted in the field are watered. If necessary, plants can be watered 3-6 times per season [1; 5; 9]. Tobacco is less demanding of fertilizers, especially nitrogen ones. When using different doses of fertilizers (NPK), the greatest height of growth is achieved against the background of mineral fertilizers mixed with manure [14; 12; 16]. Over the past ten years, the demand for premium cigarettes has increased significantly on the world market. Increasing the production of premium cigarettes to the required volumes would require enormous costs to obtain scarce aromatic raw materials [7]. Sheki-Zagatala zone is one of the main tobacco producing zones in Azerbaijan. The average tobacco yield potential is 26-35 Nargiz M. A. et al, New Tobacco Variety – “Bahlul 87”, Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic www.ijlsar.orglable at: iAva 670| 702 P a g e c/ha, the number of leaves during the intensive ripening period is 27-35 cm, the length of leaves is 40-55 cm, the mass of raw materials is 85-90% [2; 10]. MATERIALS AND METHODS The main objective of the conducted research is to ensure a stable, high-quality tobacco harvest and the creation of new varieties that are resistant to external environmental factors that meet the requirements of the current market. The Sheki-Zagatala region of the Republic of Azerbaijan has very favorable soil and climatic conditions for growing tobacco. The research work was carried out at the Zagatala Zonal Experimental Station of the Research Institute of Agriculture. During the growing season, phenological observations were carried out, agrobiological and morphological characteristics, the demand for the variety in external environmental conditions and agricultural technology, its resistance to diseases in natural and artificial backgrounds, the percentage of disease prevalence and pest damage of the newly created tobacco variety "Bahlul-87" were studied. Soil and climatic conditions for growing the variety, seeding rates and seedling planting dates were also studied. The yield indicators were analyzed comparatively. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The newly created variety "Bahlul-87" is registered under number 6 in the competitive selection nursery. The variety was created in 2022 by hybridization. The main goal of creating the variety is to create high-yielding, high-quality, diseaseand pest-resistant varieties that are resistant to environmental stress factors (biotic and abiotic) for the tobacco-growing regions of the republic. The start date of selection work is 2016, parental pairs are "Winner-179" × "Zagatala-67", the years of small station trials are 2016-2020, the years of competitive variety trials are 2019-2022, the years of inter-station competitive variety trials covered 2020-2022. The newly created variety "Bahlul-87", in comparison with the best regional variety "Zagatala large-leaved", was presented at the State variety testing due to its excellent quality, high productivity, weight qualities with an aromatic taste, resistance to diseases, pests, drought, lodging, and the ability to develop well on weak soils was presented. The variety is intended for the production of cigars and cigarettes. The suitability of the variety for cultivation, mechanical collection and processing was studied. It was found that the resulting crop is suitable for drying in the open air and in fire drying chambers. The variety should be cultivated using traditional cultivation technology adopted for growing tobacco in the republic. The optimal sowing period is recommended from February 1 to 15 in greenhouses, and transplanting seedlings into an open field - from April 20 to May 10. It is not recommended to grow the variety in a dense planting scheme and apply fertilizers in excess of the norm. Seed production can be organized in tobacco-growing regions of the republic. Labor costs for growing the variety amounted to 2200-2400 manats per 1.0 ha. The economic benefit obtained from using the new variety - potential income from 1.0 amounted to 5500-6000 manats. Cultivation is recommended in regions of the republic suitable for growing tobacco. The agrobiological characteristics of Bahlul 87 tobacco varieties are given in table 1 below. Table 1. Agrobiological characteristics of the variety - “Bahlul-87” № Indicators Unit New variety - "Bahlul-87 Average Standard - "Zakatala large leaf" Average 2020 2020 2021 2021 2022 2022 2020 2020 2021 2021 20222022 1 Dry yield of tobacco leaves (humidity 17%) c/ha 33.0 32.1 33.2 32.7 31.4 30.3 31.0 30.9 2 Yield of commercial varieties: I % 89 86 85 87 85 86 83 84 II % 11 14 15 13 15 14 17 15 3 Thickness of the middle vein of dry tobacco mm 0.55 0.56 0.52 0.54 0.58 0.53 0.57 0.53 4 Weight of material dм2, gr 1.87 1.99 1.64 1.83 1.72 1.69 1.91 1.77 5 Content of nicotine in leaves % 2,1 2,4 2,0 2,2 2,9 3,1 2,7 2,9 6 Number of Shmuk % 0.54 0.55 0.53 0.53 0.52 0.55 0.53 0.53 7 Aromatic type of raw material Skeletal type 8 Assessment score 92 89 95 92 80 76 7 8 78 9 Hardness Nargiz M. A. et al, New Tobacco Variety – “Bahlul 87”, Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic www.ijlsar.orglable at: iAva 670| 703 P a g e 10 Yellowing day 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.1 2.5 2.5 2. 4 2.4 11 Drying time of middle leaves day 44 45 47 45 47 49 4 8 48 12 Number of days in greenhouses from the lower exit to ripening of sprouts day 42 45 50 46 45 50 5 0 48 Type of greenhouse solar heating 13 a) Number of days in crops days until the middle tier leaves ripen day 90 92 94 93 92 90 9 3 93 b) Days until the last leaves ripen (until the technical maturity of makhorka day 125 120 127 124 127 125 1 2 8 127 c) Days until flowering day 87 85 90 87 88 90 8 9 87 d) Until the plant is fully flowering day 120 125 124 123 121 125 1 2 3 123 e) Until 50% of the seed pods ripen day 105 107 109 107 108 106 1 0 8 108 14 Number of plant leaves pieceme al 49 45 37 44 43 42 4 6 43 15 а) Size of leaves in the middle tier: Length cm 55 50 43 49 48 56 5 5 53 b) Width сm 30 29 22 27 27 31 3 0 29 16 Vegetation period (from the moment of planting seedlings in the field until seed ripening) day 120 118 122 120 122 123 1 2 2 122 17 Full plant growth сm 300 270 268 279 250 260 2 7 6 262 18 Seed weight from 1 plant gr 12.7 13.6 13.5 13.4 12.1 12.9 1 3 . 4 12.2 19 Degree of drought resistance score 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 20 Degree of lodging resistance (on a 5-point scale) score 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 21 Important biological differences from other varieties Fast-growing, high, large and numerous leaves; the plate of leaves is thick; flower basket big; early flowering and early ripening of seeds, large seed size; less formation of side shoots As can be seen from table 1, the height of the tobacco variety "Bahlul-87" is 280 cm; this variety is adapted to local conditions, resistant to lodging, drought, diseases and pests, is distinguished by high quality and productivity. The vegetation period in dryland conditions is 120 days. The flower group is small and dense. The weight of 1000 grains is 0.08 gr. The color of dry tobacco is yellow, orange. The yield of the 1st commercial variety is 87%, and the yield per hectare is 32.7 c/ha. This is 1.8 c/ha more than the zoned tobacco variety "Zakatala large-leaved". The percentage of disease and pest infestation in the field during the study period is given in table 2 below. Nargiz M. A. et al, New Tobacco Variety – “Bahlul 87”, Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic www.ijlsar.orglable at: iAva 670| 704 P a g e Table 2. Disease and pest infestation, % № Name of the disease and pests New variety - "Bahlul-87 Standard - "Zakatala large leaf" 2020 2021 2022 2020 2021 2022 1 Root rot (Fuzarioz) 0.0 1.8 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 2 Powdery mildew 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 3 Tobacco mosaic 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 4 Downy mildew 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.6 4.0 0.0 5 Bacterial speckle 2.5 1.8 0.0 11.2 10.0 6.2 6 White mottle 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 7 Trips 5.0 1.5 0.0 5.6 0.0 5.0 As can be seen from table 2, the infection with powdery mildew, tobacco mosaic, false powdery mildew and white variegation was observed only in the variety "Zakatala large-leaved". It can be confidently said that the newly created variety "Bahlul-87" is more resistant to infection with diseases and pests. Morphological characteristics of Bahlul 87 tobacco variety are given in table 3 below. Table 3. Morphological description of the variety "Bahlul-87" s.s. Morphological description Indicators 1 Seedling color Light green 2 Characteristics of plant growth in the first phase Late growth in the first phase 3 Plant shape Conical 4 Flower crown shape Relatively little branched 5 5 Leaf position on the stem Attached to the stem 6 Leaf blade bend Tinder-like 7 Main leaf shape Sessile 8 Middle leaf blade shape Elliptical oblong 9 Upper leaf blade shape Medium large 10 Leaf surface Wavy 11 Leaf edge Straight wavy 12 Leaf color Green-yellow 13 Flower crown color Weak red 15 In addition to the above-mentioned characteristics of the variety, distinctive features from the corresponding varieties during field control When the leaves ripen, their edges turn yellow As can be seen from table 3, the morphological description of the variety "Bahlul-87": the color of the seedlings is light green; the characteristic of plant growth in the first phase is late growing; the shape of the plant is conical; the shape of the flower crown is relatively little branched; the position of the leaves on the stem is attached to the stem; the bend of the leaf blade is tinderlike; the shape of the main leaf is sessile, the shape of the middle leaf blade is elliptical oblong; the shape of the upper leaf blade is medium large; the surface of the leaf is wavy; the edge of the leaf is straight wavy; the color of the leaf is green-yellow; the color of the flower crown is weak red. In addition to the above characteristics of the variety, during field control it was revealed that when the leaves of the "Bahlul-87" variety ripen, their edges turn yellow. Nargiz M. A. et al, New Tobacco Variety – “Bahlul 87”, Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic www.ijlsar.orglable at: iAva 670| 705 P a g e (Fig. 1 - general view of the Bahlul-87 variety, 2-3 - experimental plot of the Zonal Experimental Station, 4 - shape of the middle leaf blade). Demand for external environmental conditions and agricultural technology for varieties is given in table 4. Table 4. Demand for the variety in external environmental conditions and agricultural technology № Indicators New variety – “Bahlul-87” Standard - "Zakatala large-leaved" 1 Soil type Mountain forest, brown and brown Mountain forest, brown and brown 2 Seed rate for sowing per 1.0 ha 20-25 gr 20-25 gr 3 Seed sowing time from 01 to 15 February from 01 to 15 February 4 Seedling planting period from 20.04 to 10.05 from 20.04 to 10.05 5 Information on the study of the variety with different agricultural practices (sowing dates, planting rates) and with different predecessors According to traditional cultivation technology adopted for growing the region; crop rotation, predecessor mainly grain according to traditional cultivation technology adopted for growing the region; crop rotation, predecessor, mainly cereals 6 Yield, c/ha 30.1-32.7 29.0-30.9 As can be seen from table 4, the demand for the variety in external environmental conditions and agricultural technology: the variety is grown in mountain-forest, brown and brown soils in dryland conditions. Agrotechnical care is carried out according to the traditional cultivation technology adopted for growing the region, crop rotation, the predecessor is mainly grain crops. The seed rate for sowing per 1.0 ha is 20-25 gr, the sowing time of seeds is from 01 to 15 February, and the period of planting seedlings is from 20.04 to 10.05. The yield is from 30.1 to 32.7 c/ha. 1 2 3 4 Nargiz M. A. et al, New Tobacco Variety – “Bahlul 87”, Grown in Rapıds of Sheki-Zagatala Region of Azerbaijan Republic www.ijlsar.orglable at: iAva 670| 706 P a g e CONCLUSIONS Agrobiological characteristics of the variety "Bahlul-87": the height is 280 cm, this variety is adapted to local conditions, resistant to lodging, drought, diseases and pests, has high quality and productivity. The vegetation period in dryland conditions is 120 days. The flower group is small and dense. The weight of 1000 grains is 0.08 gr. The color of dry tobacco is yellow, orange. The yield of the 1st commercial variety is 87%, and the yield per hectare is 32.7 c/ha. This is 1.8 c/ha more than the zoned tobacco variety Zagatala large-leaved. Infection with powdery mildew, tobacco mosaic, false powdery mildew and white variegation was observed only in the variety "Zakatala large-leaved". It is safe to say that the newly created variety "Bahlul-87" is more resistant to diseases and pests. Morphological description of the variety "Bahlul-87": seedling color - light green; plant growth characteristics in the first phase - grows late; plant shape - conical; flower crown shape - relatively little branched; leaf position on the stem - attached to the stem; leaf blade bend - tinder-like; main leaf shape - sessile; middle leaf blade shape - elliptical oblong; upper leaf blade shape - medium large; leaf surface - wavy; leaf edge - straight wavy; leaf color - green-yellow; flower crown color - faint red. 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