ASSESSMENT OF PERSPECTIVE INTRODUCED VARIETIES OF BURLEY TOBACCO

Biological, economic and chemical characteristics of ten foreign varieties of Burley tobacco were investigated and their prospect was evaluated. The varieties had favourable biometric indicators. Kentucky 8959 variety is characterised by short vegetative period and thus may be used in selection programmes to shorten the vegetative period. Varieties Kentucky 908 and Banquet 102 may be used in selection programmes, as donors for increasing the height, length and number of leaves, and the Tennessee 86 variety - for increasing the width of the leaves. The yield and percentage of first class of all introduced varieties were higher than control varieties Burley 21 and Pliska 2002. The highest yield per hectare had North Carolina 3 variety while the highest percentage of first class - Banquet 102 variety. The Banquet 102 variety was characterised by the most balanced chemical composition. The data obtained serve as hybridization for creating new Bulgarian tobacco varieties Burley. The investigation established the plasticity of the studied tobacco varieties, which are grown under atypical soil, climatic conditions and agrotechnical measures.