Dinâmica de cátions na raiz e folhas de berinjela cultivada sobre doses crescentes de potássio oriundas de duas fontes

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Department of Plant Production, Sector Horticulture, UNESP - Botucatu, SP, Brazil, in order to assess the dynamics of cationic nutrients in roots and leaves and effects on dry matter production of roots and shoots in eggplant grown on conditions of increasing doses of potassium from two distinct sources (KCl and K2SO4). The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks in factorial 2 × 4 (two sources of potassium, KCl and K2SO4 and four doses of each source equivalent, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 kg ha-1 K2O) comprising eight treatments with three replicates. For the experiment we used Oxisol medium texture (615 g of sand, silt 45 g and 340 g clay per kg soil). The characteristics evaluated were: soil electrical conductivity, mass of shoot and root material, content and ratio of K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in roots and leaves of eggplant. We conclude that excessive doses of sources of K2O affected the production of dry matter of roots and shoots, as well as electrical conductivity. The accumulation and the relationship of Ca2+/K+, Mg2+/K+ were affected by increased K+ concentration; K2SO4 was the fertilizer that was less damaging.