I find no allusion or direct reference to such a variety anywhere (even when correctly spelled as "Samsun"). Over the past 25 years, there has been what appears to have been a two-way tobacco espionage competition between the Indonesian tobacco developers on the island of Madura, and those in the Chinese province of Yunan. The best I can figure out is that the Indonesians were doing the work of breeding and crossing, while the Chinese were claiming it as their work.
Regardless of the intrigue, the only "95" involving an Oriental tobacco breeding program on Madura crossed an
Izmir variety with a previously developed Indonesian variety labeled Prancak 95. This may or may not have any direct connection to the "Samsoun#95" that you are curious about.
PRANCAK N-1
"Prancak N-1 is an Oriental tobacco developed on the Indonesian island of Madura. Prancak N-1 combines characteristics of both its parents. The result is a light, Izmir-like leaf that readily sun-cures to a golden color, and can also be flue-cured to produce sweet, bright leaf. It is usually sun-cured. Useful for cigarette and pipe blending. Closer spacing and minimal fertilizer use will produce smaller, more fragrant and more traditional Oriental leaf. Wider spacing and increased fertilization will produce much larger leaf that lacks its Oriental character.
Pedigree:
Date released: 2004. Backcross pollination of Prancak 95 and Ismir Orient"
PRANCAK 95
"Status: by The Ministry of Agriculture registered heirloom; registration number: 731/Kpts/TP.240/7/97.
Back in 1996 the office of Plantation of Pamekasan and Sumenep, Madura started to survey three different districts, Prancak, Pasongsongan and Sumenep to outline what kind of varieties were grown within these districts. With the support and partnership of PT Sadhana ArifnUS (a PT HM Sampoerna Tkb supplier) and PT Gudang Garam Tbk a pure strain was selected, out of all the varieties that were found, and subsequently this pure strain was officially released by The Ministry of Agriculture in 1997 under the name Prancak 95. Currently, approximately 32,000 ha (18,000 tons) of tobacco, spread over 13 districts, is grown in Madura area of which 50 - 60 % is estimated to be planted with Prancak 95.
Prancak 95 is an early-maturing low yielding variety but highly adapted to arid growing conditions. The height of the plant is very small with low numbers of harvestable leaves. The small size leaves are light green. Plant Habitus is conical, and turn into cylindrical after topped. The plant height ranges between 50 and 80 cm, number of leaves 14 to 18 leaves. The shape of the leaf is lanceolate, leaf position at stem forming acute angle. This variety is resistant to lanas disease (Phytophthora nicotianae var. nicotianae). Productivity of Prancak-95 at farmer level ranges from 0,45 to 0,8 ton/ha, depend on soil type and crop management by farmer, quality index is 57, average nicotine content is 2,13%. Prancak 95 has a typical aroma and flavour well suitable as filler for the manufactory of clove cigarettes. In response to the anti-smoking campaign and issues of the danger of smoking on health, Balittas has crossed the local variety Prancak 95 with an oriental type tobacco to decrease the nicotine content. In the process two new varieties were created and released in 2004, namely: Prancak 1 and Prancak 2. Both varieties claim to generate higher quality tobacco with lower nicotine levels, well appreciated by the local manufacturers. Though, plant densities should be much higher in comparison with other types of tobacco, local tobacco farmers are less fond of this type of tobacco due to its small size and poor yields."
Download
Indonesian Tobacco Diversity 2015 as 6 page pdf.
Bob
