The effects of different air - curing time on physical characteristics and major chemical components of flue - cured upper tobacco leaves were studied by using the flue - cured tobacco Yunyan97 as experimental material, The results showed that the proper air - curing time can reduced the consumption of tobacco dry matter and the contraction of leaf thickness, also can increased the balance water proportion, reduced the content of nicotine in tobacco leaves, and then can improved the quality of tobacco leaves. However, the content of total sugar, reducing sugar, starch and the two sugar differe...