Visual symptoms and nutritional deficiencies in olive plants subjected to nutrient deprivation

Abstract

As the fourth largest importer of olive oil and the fifth largest importer of olives, Brazil is one of the largest importers of olive (Olea europaea L.) products in the world. In recent decades, the introduction and growth of olive cultivars with lower chilling requirements in the south and southeast regions of Brazil have made olive production viable in the country. However, there is a dearth of information about the management of olive crops in Brazil, especially in relation to studies about the nutritional needs of olive trees grown in subtropical regions, which may enable advances in the productivity of this fruit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, dry matter production and nutritional status of the olive tree under the effect of nutrient omissions, as well as to establish visual diagnostic parameters of nutrient deficiencies. We used a completely randomized design with ten treatments and three replicates grown in the Hoagland–Arnon nutrient solution and solutions with individual omissions of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, and Zn. The treatments that most limited the growth of olive trees were the N, Ca, and B omission treatments.