Nicotine content of fresh green tobacco leaves versus dried tobacco leaves. Which has more?
- Thread starter Mazdaman
- Start date
Belated welcome to the forum. Nicotine is produce in tobacco roots, and transported to the leaves. There, it is retained within the leaf lamina, with a small fraction excreted by the leaf hairs (trichomes) for herbivore defense. Nicotine does not evaporate during color-curing. So long as the mature leaves are not washed, their nicotine concentrations are similar.
Bob
Bob
ShiniKoroshi
Dept. of Shenanigans
Fresh mature dried? 
GreenDragon
Moderator
Nicotine is a very stable molecule. The moment a leaf is cut, the amount in the leaf is fixed: green or cured, the amount is the same. How the leaf is subsequently processed, blended, and consumed all have an effect on the amount of nicotine that is absorbed.
The sap flow direction doesn’t reverse directions at leaf maturity and impending death and flow back down to the roots? For example, with trees, this seasonally occurs.
GreenDragon
Moderator
While trees and some plants (perennials) do transport sugars back and forth between roots and leaves, secondary metabolites (alkaloids such as nicotine, caffeine, quinine, morphine, etc.) are generally a one way street: They are produced in one part of the plant and sequestered in another. In tobacco, this is primarily the leaves. In the Opium Poppy, it is the seed capsule.
WillQuantrill
Well-Known Member
Side question as Im learning something new here: would stalk curing optimize Nicotine content in the leaf? In my mind this would allow for additional Nicotine to migrate from stock to leaf. And if thats the case Im curious what would result from stalk curing with roots still attached?
I am not aware that stalk-curing makes a difference in the nicotine levels of leaves. With regard to roots attached during stalk-curing, unless you include a huge ball of dirt with the roots, they would promptly desiccate. But this is just a guess. My preference for stalk-curing is base on:
- less work than stringing primed leaves
- lower probability of the leaves drying green, prior to color-curing
Thank you! Good to know, in this case
Good question. And a related one to that I’ve had is does the dried tobacco center leaf stem have a higher concentration of nicotine than the leaf? I’ve made some tea from these central leaf stems and it kicks butt / is very potent in nicotine.
Nicotiana tabacum stalks and veins consistently contain lower concentrations of nicotine than leaf lamina.
Solutions of nicotine are quite hazardous to you and others, simply by spilling it on your skin. It is potentially fatal if consumed. Once a solution of nicotine reaches your stomach, there is no second chance if you've consumed too much (unless you are fortunate enough to spontaneously vomit).
For that reason, discussions of nicotine solutions are not suitable for this forum.
Bob
Solutions of nicotine are quite hazardous to you and others, simply by spilling it on your skin. It is potentially fatal if consumed. Once a solution of nicotine reaches your stomach, there is no second chance if you've consumed too much (unless you are fortunate enough to spontaneously vomit).
For that reason, discussions of nicotine solutions are not suitable for this forum.
Bob
ShiniKoroshi
Dept. of Shenanigans
With all due respect to the above posters (I sincerely mean it) this is why I threw the comment-bomb earlier as I knew this was going sideways. Same play last week because the convo was skirting substances that should never be put on tobacco. While these are great scientific discussions, language barriers and other factors can make it a liability. To the OP, please be safe and seriously consider Bob's advice.
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