This study aims to explore the effect of partially substitution potassium sulfate with citrate soluble potassium fertilizer (citrate-K) and one-time root zone application on the growth and potassium increase of tobacco. The local conventional fertilizers were applied by surface spreading as the control, 1/4 and 1/2 of total potassium substituted with citrate-K were set in the experiment. The types of fertilizers include local conventional fertilizer and high potassium special fertilizer for tobacco (both supply potassium in the form of potassium sulfate). The results showed that partial substitution of potassium sulfate with citrate-K significantly increased the proportion of high grade tobacco leaves. When 1/2 of potassium substituted, the application of high potassium special fertilizer significantly increased the yield, value, and proportion of high grade tobacco leaves by 11.9%, 9.9% and 5.6%, respectively, and decreased the proportion of low grade tobacco leaves by 77.7%, compared with thase of conventional fertilizer. The one-time root-zone application of high potassium special fertilizer with 1/2 of potassium substituted by citrate-K also had a certain improvement effect on the agronomic traits of tobacco at different growth stages, which was much better than other treatments by the comparison the comprehensive effect through principal component analysis. This study indicates that one-time root-zone application of high potassium special fertilizer with 1/2 of potassium substituted by citrate-K could be recommended for light and simplified fertilization for higher yield and quality of tobacco leaves.