Tobacco raw material harvesting process - with cuts made in plant along defined paths and fragments separated without stem portion

摘要

Cuts are made from the plant along a defined path, so that each leaf undergoes at least one cut. The fragments not including a stem portion are then separated from those that do. The cuts can be made while the plants are in the ground, there being a first cut made at the plant base. The leaves can be folded against the stem before sectioning, which is carried out at right angles to the stem. Alternatively the lines of cutting can be parallel to the stems. Cuts can be carried out on fresh plants before drying, and a current of air can be used to separate the fragments not attached to a stem section.