Data Sheet 1_Comparative analysis of microbial succession and biochemical changes in cigar tobacco filler and wrapper leaves during fermentation.docx

Fungal communities were dominated primarily by Ascomycota, with Aspergillus prevalent across fermentation and Papiliotrema becoming more prevalent at later stages. Bray-Curtis based ordination showed structured, directional succession in both bacterial and fungal communities, and fermentation time explained substantially more community variation than material type (bacteria: R² = 0.57 vs. 0.04; fungi: R² = 0.42 vs. 0.08).

Correlation, redundancy and network analyses linked both bacterial and fungal community variation to sugars, nitrogenous compounds, alkaloids, and volatile classes, although these associations remain correlative rather than causal. By directly comparing filler and wrapper leaves under identical industrial fermentation environment, this study highlights that commercially distinct cigar materials follow divergent ecological and biochemical trajectories, providing a process-resolved basis for fermentation monitoring and material-specific quality management.</p>