Estimation of agronomic traits of Burley tobacco with nitrogen microcapsules top-dressing

From 2018 to 2020, an experiment on effects of nitrogen top-dressing was conducted with Burley tobacco on the Zagreb experimental field at the Faculty of Agriculture. The experiment was set up according to the RCBD in four replications. Nitrogen was added to the top-dressing in five different variants: 1) control 100% from CAN; 2) 90% from CAN + 10% from microcapsules; 3) 80% from CAN + 20% from microcapsules; 4) 90% from CAN + 10% from microcapsules with chitosan; and 5) 80% from CAN + 20% from microcapsules with chitosan. During vegetation, number of leaves, length and width of the 9th leaf, topping height, and days to flowering were determined. After drying, the yield was determined, and the tobacco was classified into six classes. According to the analysis of variance, significant differences were established for share of I class, width od 9th leaf, topping height days to flowering in 2018, yield, share of VI class in 2019, yield, share of V class, and leaf number in 2020. Significantly, the highest yield had control compared to the variants 80% from CAN + 20% from microcapsules with chitosan in 2019 and the variants 80% from CAN + 20% from microcapsules in 2020. The control had the significantly highest share of I class in 2018. The highest leaf number in 2020 had the control and variant 90% from CAN + 10% from microcapsules with chitosan compared to the variant 80% from CAN + 20% from microcapsules with chitosan. The effect of microencapsulation has not given the expected results.