Abstract: ObjectiveDistribution of different-grade cut tobacco structure and its effects on cigarette quality were studied in order to provide reference for optimizing tobacco structure to improve the quality of cigarettes. MethodThrough principal component analysis, number of principal components and load values of each layer structure of low-(A), medi-um-(B) and high-class(C) were determined. Correlation analysis between cut tobacco structure and physical indexes for cigarette were conducted to explore the relation between cut tobacco structure and physical quality. ResultThe structure of cigarettes of three brands were different. The structure of each cigarette could be simplified into two principal components , and all the cumulative variance contribution rate were more than 80.000%, and were 80.689%(low class), 83.982%(medium class) and 84.001%(high class) respectively. These data could represent the original eight layers of tobacco layer structure ratio. The main factors affecting the physical quality of low-class cigarettes were cut tobacco at 2.80-4.75 mm and ≤2.00 mm in main component 1; those affecting the physical quality of medium- and high-class cigarettes were cut tobacco at 2.00-3.35 mm and ≤1.00 mm in main component 1. ConclusionCut tobacco structure distributions in different-class cigarette are different, and the effects of cut tobacco structure on cigarette quality are different. In actual production, the enterprises can optimize cut tobacco structure in different-class cigarettes to improve the quality and stability. For low-class cigarette, the proportion of medium and long cut tobacco should be increased and that of short cut tobacco should be de-creased. In terms of medium- and high-class cigarettes, the proportion of long cut tobacco should be controlled to reduce the negative effects of long cut tobacco on overall cigarette quality.