[Objective] The aim of this study was to establish mathematical models for judging the aroma types of middle and upper flue-cured tobacco leaves according to the contents and proportions of aroma compositions. [Method] The aroma types of tobacco leaves were judged based on stepwise discriminant analysis, using 63 C3F and 65 B2F tobacco leaf samples from 13 tobacco producing regions in 11 provinces of China （Huili in Sichuan, Baokang in Hubei, Wulong in Chongqing, Lu- oyang in Henan, Zhucheng in Shandong, Wuyi Mountain in Fujian, Malong in Yun- nan, Chuxiong in Yunnan, Bijie in Guizhou, Liuyang in Hunan, Suiyang in Guizhou, Kaiyuan in Liaoning, Nanxiong in Guangdong） as calibration samples, and 67 aroma components as indices. And the Fisher discriminant functions were verified using 21 C3F and 19 B2F tobacco leaf samples. [Result] Variation coefficients of the propor- tions were lower than that of contents of most aroma components in middle and upper leaves of the samples, indicating that the proportions were more stable than contents of aroma components. The proportions of benzyl alcohol, solanone, β-dam- ascone, neophytadiene, farnesylacetone A, palmitic acid, thunbergol, methyl linole- nate and cembratriene-diol were all over 1% in both middle and upper leaves, al- though the dominant aroma components of the same aroma type varied between middle and upper leaves. Moreover, 11, 18, 7 and 11 aroma components were re- spectively introduced into the Fisher discriminant functions established based on the contents and proportions of middle and upper flue-cured tobacco leaves, which ex- hibited accuracy rates of 91.7%, 100%, 91.7% and 91.7% in the judgments of other tobacco leaf samples. The results revealed that the components those determined aroma types in middle leaves were obviously more than in upper leaves. In middle leaves, the accuracy rates of aroma type judgment could be improved by using the proportions rather than the contents of aroma components as indices. However, the functions based on the propor
[Objective] This study was conducted to compare the aroma quality of up-per leaves of K326 flue-cured in different barns, and provide theoretical references for the development and optimization of bulk curing barn and the supporting tech-niques. [Method] The upper leaves of K326 were flue-cured in a commonness barn, a four-shelf bulk curing barn and a three-shelf bulk curing barn separately, and then the contents of aroma components and taste quality indices of the finished leaves were measured and compared. [Result] The contents of total aroma components, chromoplast pigment degradation products, phenylalanine aroma components and neophytadiene showed no significant differences in the leaves flue-cured in four-shelf bulk curing barn and commonness barn, but were significantly or very significantly higher than those in the leaves flue-cured in three-shelf bulk curing barn. The con-tents of carotenoid degradation products, Mail ard reaction products, cembranes aro-ma components and total aroma components （except neophytadiene） showed no significant difference among the three treatments. The results of sensory evaluation revealed that the sensory taste of the leaves flue-cured in four-shelf bulk curing barn was the best, as the finished leaves had rich, delicate aroma, comfortable and clean aftertaste. The leaves flue-cured in commonness barn was better than those flue-cured in three-shelf bulk curing barn in aroma quality, amount and aftertaste. [Conclusion] The four-shelf bulk curing barn had a large volume for tobacco leaf processing, but a similar baking environment to the commonness barn, which is conducive to the formation and accumulation of aroma components, so the finished leaves had similar appearance and quality with those flue-cured in commonness barn. The upper flue-cured leaves in three-shelf bulk curing bran had poorer quality than those flue-cured in the other two barns.
