Growth and Visual Symptoms of Nutrients Deficiency in Mangosteens ( Garcinia mangostana L.)

Abstract

The aims of study were to evaluate growth and characterize the visual symptoms of macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies in mangosteens. The seedlings were cultivated in nutritive solution containing all required macronutrient and micronutrients and in solutions with omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, using the missing element technique. The experimental design was completely randomized with five replicates and twelve treatments. Symptoms of nutrient deficiency were accompanied by photographic records and described from beginning until complete definition, in which the plants were collected. Growth was evaluated through of dry mass production and nutrient contents. Nutrients omissions resulted in morphological alterations, characteristic symptoms of nutritional deficiency, promoted the reduction in dry mass production in plant, in which the Fe was most limiting, followed by N, and S. Macronutrients and micronutrients contents, without deficiencies (complete treatment) and deficient in mangosteen leaves were respectively: N (16.4 and 12.5 g kg-1); P (1.1 and 0.2 g kg-1); K (10.2 and 8.1 g kg-1); Ca (6.7 and 1.9 g kg-1); Mg (1.1 and 0.1 g kg-1); S (3.0 and 2.2 g kg-1); B (20 and 16 mg kg-1); Cu (7 and 3 mg kg-1); Fe (266 and 86 mg kg-1); Mn (58 and 17 mg kg-1). The decreasing order in appearance of visual symptoms of deficiency was N > S > K > B > Ca > P > Mg > Mn > Cu > Zn.