In this study, 3 harvesting methods including conventional (CK), bud removal (T1) and bud retention (T2) were used to collect upper leaves of flue-cured tobacco K326. The agronomic, chemical, and economic indicators of the upper leaves were meaured to investigate the effect of different harvesting methods on the degree of browning leaf during baking process. The results showed that the total sugar, reducing sugar, starch, dry leaf weight and degree of leaf browning of flue-cured tobacco leaves in bud retention treatment were all lower than those in conventional treatment, the decrease of starch content and browning leaves degree reaching 60.6% and 59.7%. However, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and scopolamine in leaves with bud removal and bud retention treatments were lower than those in conventional treatment, which in bud retention treatment were respectively 9.4%, 8.3% and 9.1% lower compared to conventional treatment. In addition, bud retention harvesting could increase the average price of upper tobacco leaves by 4%.