Visual symptoms and growth parameters linked to deficiency of macronutrients in young Swietenia macrophylla plants

The aim of this study was to characterize the symptoms linked to deficiencies of macronutrients in young Swietenia macrophylla plants, evaluating effects produced by nutrient omissions on macronutrient level in leaf and growth parameters such as dry matter of leaf, petioles, stem and root and total dry matter using missing element technique. Plants were grown in nutrient solution of Bolle-Jones, the treatments consisted in omission of some nutrients like N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S, as well as control treatment used was complete nutrient solution. The experimental design was completely randomized with 7 treatments (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S deficiencies, and control) and 5 replicates. The omission of all macronutrients resulted in the expression of visual deficiency symptoms, reduction of dry matter and leaf contents of these nutrients. The order in limiting the production of dry matter in leaves, stems and roots, and total dry matter were N>P>Ca>Mg>K>S, and in petiole N>Ca>P>K>Mg>S. In control treatment nutrient levels were N 20.9, P 2.2, K 15.7, Ca 9.2 Mg 2.6 and S 4.3 g kg -1 , while in treatments with deficiency N 15.1, P 1.4, K 3.4, Ca 4.3, Mg 0.6 and S 1.3 g kg -1