Dry Matter Production and Nutritional Status of Sunflower Grown in Nutrient Solution under Macronutrient Omission

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of omission of macronutrients on dry matter production and on the nutritional status of sunflower cv. BRS 122. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in randomized blocks, with seven treatments corresponding to the Hoagland & Arnon standard solution (1950) and the individual omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S, in three replicates. After 50 days of sowing, the dry matter and the nutritional status of the plants were evaluated. The omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S limited the dry mass production of sunflower cv. BRS 122 in relation to the complete solution, besides causing nutritional imbalance due to the interaction between the nutrients. The omission of the macronutrients K, Ca, and Mg caused the higher imbalances in the plants, highlighting the elevated N contents in these treatments comparing to the complete solution.