The population of Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) in soil is very important as a primary inoculum source of bacterial wilt in tobacco fields. To investigate the population of Rs, physical properties and chemical components during the tobacco growing season, soil samples were taken from the fifteen fields which were located in the flue-cured tobacco growing area, Ansung, Kyunggi province and Wonju, Kangwon province. Two fields of the fifteen were bacterial wilt free. Six fields had less than 10% plants being diseased and seven over 10%. The Rs population level determined by using SMSA medium generally showed an up-and-down pattern being low in May, high in Jun and July and low in August. The soil population in May and June showed a positive correlation with the incidence of bacterial wilt (r=0.571*, r=0.688**), but P2O5 content of soil was negatively correlated with the disease incidence (r=-0.539*). These results suggest that Rs population in soil examined in May or in June, and the P2O5 content in soil should be key factors to determine the bacterial wilt potential of tobacco fields.