Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the changes of dehydration process and quality of cured leaves with crushed midribs and cut of the yellowed leaves during drying stage of flue-cured tobacco. The crushed midribs of yellowed leaf dried out before raising the highest temperature of midrib drying stage and reduced the curing time by about 20 hours. However, the cut of yellowed leaf was not affected the curing time and dehydration process during drying stage of flue-curing due to a problem with the cut leaves packing excessively in the curing container. The cured weight yield was increased with crushed midrib and cut leaves, and nicotine and sugar contents of cured leaves and quality in terms of dollars per kilogram were decreased with crushed midrib and cut leaves.