Nutrient Omission Effects on Growth and Nutritional Status of Seedlings of Assai Palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) var. Pai d’égua in Clayey Oxisol

Abstract

In order to evaluate the growth, dry mass production, contents and accumulation of macro-and micronutrients in seedlings of assai palm (variety Pai d’égua) in clayey Oxisol we conducted a greenhouse experiment based on the missing element technique. The experimental design was completely randomized with 15 treatments in five replicates. The treatments were: complete fertilizer with liming (complete); no fertilizer and no liming (control); complete fertilization with lime but with the individual omission of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, calcium without lime, magnesium, magnesium without lime, sulfur, boron, copper, manganese and zinc. The following variables were analyzed: plant height, stipe diameter, leaf dry mass, stipe dry mass, and content and accumulation of nutrients in the leaves. The singly omission of N, P and Mg has limited the height of the assai palm. The following singly omissions in decreasing order: N > K > Mg affected the production of leaf dry mass, while the leaf area was restricted by the individual omissions, in order: N > P > K. Plant development as measured by relative growth of the aerial part is affected by the lack of P > K > N > Mg with an average reduction of 61.9%. The nutrients most required by assai palm follow the order: N > K > Ca > Mg > P > Mn > Zn > B > Cu > S.