Effect of deprivation of selected single nutrients on biometric parameters of cedar seedlings (Acrocarpus fraxinifolius) grown in nutritive solution

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to assess biometric parameters of cedar seedlings (Acrocarpus fraxinifolius) associated with visual symptomatology of macronutrients deficiency, growth rate, and content and accumulation of nutrients in aerial parts of seedlings grown in nutritive solution. The trial was established in completely randomized design with seven treatments, four replications, and one plant per pot. Treatments consisted of complete nutrient solution, Hoagland and Arnon, and deprivation of the following selected single nutrients: N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S. Micronutrients were provided to all treatments. The following biometric parameters were assessed 90 days after the transplant: shoot height, root collar diameter, root and shoot dry weight. The Dickson index and the ratio given by roots dry weight and shoot dry weight were obtained, as well as the content and accumulation of nutrients in aerial parts of seedlings. The Sisvar statistical analysis system was run for analysis of variance, and averages were compared by means of Scott-Knott test at 5% significance. Treatments consisting of omissions of macronutrients were found to be limiting factors of plants growth and obtaining of seedlings shoot dry weight in the following order: N > P > K > Ca > Mg > S. Deficiencies of these macronutrients caused visible morphological abnormalities, where common symptoms of deficiency of N, P, K and Ca appeared before symptoms of deficiency of Mg and S. The content of nutrients found in aerial parts of seedlings of A. fraxinifolius grown in nutritive solution was greater for treatments consisting of deprivation of N, P and K. The content of nutrients found for treatments consisting of deprivation of Mg and S was not significantly different from that found for the complete nutrients solution.

Morphological Response and Nutritional Deficiency Symthoms in Ipe Seedlings (Tabebuia Serratifolia) / Respostas Morfológicas E Sintomatologia De Deficiência Nutricional Em Mudas De Ipê (Tabebuia Serratifolia)

“…Furthermore, the omission of Ca inhibited the development of the roots of the ipê seedlings, which exhibited an aspect of necrosis (Figure 2c), as reported by Munguambe et al, (2017) in cedar seedlings.…”

“…The seedlings of ipe cultivated under omission of N expressed as symptomatology the generalized chlorosis (Figure 1b), which started in the leaves closest to the base (mature leaves) and gradually evolved to the apical leaves (juvenile leaves), affecting all the leaves, as described by (Malavolta, 2006). Similar symptoms were observed in Brazilwood seedlings (Valeri et al, 2014), african mahogany -Khaya ivorensis e K. anthotheca (Viera et al, 2015;Corcioli et al, 2016) and cedar (Munguambe et al, 2017). Such symptomatology manifested in the leaves, according to Viégas et al, (2014), occurs due to the collapse of chloroplasts as a function of proteolysis, resulting in the degradation of chlorophyll molecules which promotes the yellowing of the leaves.…”

“…Ipe seedlings cultivated under Ca omission manifested chlorosis on the youngest leaves, which progressed to necrosis and subsequent petiole collapse and leaf fall (Figure 1e), as observed in mahogany seedlings Swietenia macrophylla (Wallau et al, 2008) and cedar Acrocarpus fraxinifolius (Munguambe et al, 2017) cultivated in nutritive solution suppressed from Ca.…”

“…Various cultures such as blackberry (Souza et al, 2015), mamorana (Camacho et al, 2013), cedar (Munguambe et al, 2017) and Khaya ivorensis (Corcioli et al, 2016) showed the same behavior, highlighting the importance of N in the accumulation of dry mass in the seedling stage.…”

Tube Volumes and Fertilization Management in Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Seedlings

“…The optimal N, P and K contents for A. fraxinifolius are 23.28, 1.98 and 5.15 g Kg -1 , respectively, and the contents of plants in deficiency are 11.3, 1.3 and 2.17 g Kg -1 , respectively (Munguambe et al, 2017). The study showed that the main limiting factor for growth was nitrogen, since only treatments 7 and 8 reached adequate levels, while all the treatments with slow release fertilization and the treatment with half of the fractional fertilization (T6) obtained intermediate values between deficient and adequate.…”