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Burley Grade Information for New Growers

Danny R. Peek and T. David Reed

Created October 18, 2005

Last Updated October 24, 2005

The following information has been complied as a resource for new burley tobacco producers in

the piedmont of Virginia. The goal is to introduce growers to the characteristic colors of burleytobacco and to educate on proper striping by stalk position. This webpage is under development

and will continue to be updated in the coming weeks. We will be adding additional photographsdepicting striping by stalk position and more information of the guideline for farm grading.

If you have questions or comments contact David Reed at 434-292-5331 or email [email protected].

The purpose of this site is to provide information helpful to growers in the grading of burley

tobacco. Grading burley tobacco is the correct identification and separation of leaves by stalkpositions. The different stalk positions of a tobacco plant are determined by maturity, body, andcolor. Most crops of burley tobacco will have four distinct stalk positions which are flyings (X),

cutters (C), leaf (B), and tips (T).

The flyings group (X) consists of the oldest, most mature leaves grown at the bottom of the stalk.

These leaves are very thin to tissuey bodied and buff to tan in color. Flyings generally show a

certain degree of injury from age and/or disease. Generally, there will only be a few leaves on

the stalk that go into this group.

The cutters or lugs (C) group consists of the next most mature leaves that grow above the flyings.

These leaves are thin to medium bodied and buff to tan in color. Cured leaves have a tendencyto roll, hiding the midrib. Cutters are generally the widest, longest leaves on a stalk and typically

have a rounded tip. Cutters will generally consist of several leaves that go about half way up the

stalk.

The leaf (B) group consists of long, narrow leaves that are less mature and grow above the

cutters. These leaves are medium to heavy bodied and are tan to red in color. They usually foldat the midrib, which hides the face of the leaf and exposes the midrib. They can usually be

distinguished from the cutters group by being darker in color, heavier bodied, and have pointy

tips.


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Cutters (C)

Leaf (B)

Tips (T)


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Buff Colored Flylings

Figure 2. Hand of fair quality (4th quality) flyings or X-grade. Color is described as buff or L.

Note the relatively high degree of injury that is characteristic of leaves grown at the bottom ofstalk and the oldest, ripest leaves on the stalk. Age spots or disease spots are common on

flyings.


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Lower Quality

Lower Quality

Higher Quality

Higher Quality

Buff Color

Tan Color

Figure 3 Hands of buff (L) colored flyings on the bottom and tan (F) color flyings above L-


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Figure 4. Comparison of flyings (X) with cutter leaves. Flyings are characterized by the presence of

the increased injury, disease spots, and thinner body associated with leaves grown close to theground.


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Tan Color

Buff Color

Figure 5. Color comparison of fine (2nd) quality cutter leaves. Buff or L color is on the bottom and tan (F) is on the top. F-

colored cutters may be slightly heavier bodied than L.


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Note pinkish color

Figure 6. Mixed or M-colored cutters added to the previous photograph of L and F-colored cutters. M-colored

leaves are characterized by the presence of a distinctly different color from the typical leaf color (L or F). This

is often associated with pink or pinkish areas of very thin bodied cutter leaves, usually present in the shouldersof the leaf.


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Figure 7. The range in coloration of clear colored leaf (B) grade leaves. Tan or F is on the top, tannish-red or FR is the

middle, and red (R) on the bottom. Leaf body increases with dark coloration.


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Figure 8. Range in coloration of tip leaves (T-grade). Tan (F) is on the bottom, tannish-red (FR)

above, red (R) third from the bottom, and dark red (D) at the top. Leaf body increases withdarker coloration.


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Figure 9. Variegated or K-colored B-grade leaves with 20 percent or more of the leaf surface being yellow, grayish, mottled, or

bleached and does not blend with normal leaf color. Yellow areas are often associated with leaves that dried too rapidly (flashcured) and thus did not cure with proper color set.


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Figure 10. An example of GR or green-red colored leaves that can occur with B or T-grade leaves. Such leaves are

usually associated with bruising than can occur if leaves are stepped on during harvest or housing and with sun scalded

tobacco. Although not common, this color can occur if freezing temperatures occur before color set of the leaves iscomplete.


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Figure 11. Mixed graded tobacco is characterized by the presence of leaves from three different leaf grade groups. Notethe mixing of X-grade leaves (lighter color and body, small leaf size, and disease spots) in the above bundle of primarily B-

grade tobacco.


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Figure 12. Tobacco not meeting the minimum standards of other grades are classified as nondescript (N). The tobacco shown in

the photograph has injury greater than 60 percent.

burley grade information 1

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