Mineral nutrition of vegetable crops: XXXVIII. Symptoms of macronutrient deficiencies in two varieties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.): Brasil 48 and Clause's Aurelia

Abstract

This research was carried out in order to study the symptomalogical chart of macronutrient deficiencies and verify the analytical level of the macronutrients. in lettuce plants under mineral deficiency conditions. Lettuce seedlings were cultivated and irrigated with nutrient solutions in the greenhouse. The treatments were: complete solution and solutions lacking N or P, K, Ca, Mg and S. Whenever the plants showed evidency and clear deficiency symptoms, they were harvested and analysed for the respective elements. The nutrient deficiencies were observed and easily identified, except for S, The macronutrient concentrations in the leaves of cv. Brasil 48 were: Normal plants: N (3-37%), P (0.44%), K (5-54%), Ca (0.97%), Mg (0.35%), and S (0.16%); Undernourished plants: N (1.86%), P (0.16%), K (1.32%), Cu (0.20%), Mg (0.05%), and S (1.16%). The concentration of the macronutrients in the leaves of cv. Clause's Aurelia were: Normal plants: N (3-02%), P (0.71%), K (7-70%); Cu t(1.47%), Mg (0.43%), and S (0.24%); Undernourished plants: N (2.68%), P (0.19%), K (1.54%), Mg (0.10%), and S (0.24%).