AVALIAÇÃO DO ESTADO NUTRICIONAL DE PLANTAS DE COUVE-FLOR CULTIVADAS EM SOLUÇÃO NUTRITIVA SUPRIMIDAS DE MACRONUTRIENTES

Abstract

An experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions, to evaluate the effects of macronutrient omission on cauliflower nutritional status and development, as well as describe nutritional deficiency symptoms. The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design with three replications and seven treatments, corresponding to complete nutritive solution and individual N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S omission. Plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, shoot, root and whole plant dry mass and macronutrient levels were determined and nutritional deficiency symptoms were described. Individual omissions of N, P, K or Ca were the most limiting for cauliflower growth, considerably reducing plant height, number of leaves, and shoot, root and whole plant dry mass. Nutritional deficiency symptoms were observed for each element. Shoot macronutrient levels in control and nutrient omission treatments were, respectively: N = 36.3 – 11.0; P = 5.0 – 1.0; K = 37.0 – 4.7; Ca = 26.0 – 5.7; Mg = 5.3 – 1.0; S = 15.0 – 3.0 g kg-1.