Growth and mineral nutrition of baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) in nutrient solution

Abstract

This study analyzed the initial growth of baru in nutrient solutions with individualized omission of mineral nutrients in greenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized with 13 treatments and four replicates: Complete Hoagland & Arnon solution and with individualized omissions of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn. At 60 days the following morphological characteristics were evaluated: height, root collar diameter, number of leaves and number of leaflets. In addition, the Dickson quality index and root/shoot ratio were calculated and root dry matter, shoot dry matter and the contents and accumulations of nutrients in the shoots of the seedlings were analyzed. Analysis of variance of the collected data was performed using the computational program Sisvar. The growth of baru seedlings, except for the variable height, was influenced by the omission of nutrients in the nutrient solution and the main limiting nutrients are K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Mo. The absorption of nutrients by baru plants occurs differently under the individualized nutritional omissions applied to the nutrient solution.