Post-germinative growth and nutrient concentration in leaves of <i>Annona muricata</i> L. grown in calcimorphic soils

Abstract

The research was conducted in Quintana Roo, Mexico; aiming to evaluate the influence of the calcimorphic soils in the postgerminative growth of soursop and the accumulation of nutrients in leaves, because deficiencies have been observed that affect the development of plants in the nursery phase. Forty nine experimental units with seedlings of ±10 cm in length were used, which were placed in mini rhizotrons. It occupied five calcimorphic soils of the region: gley (saskab), luvisol (yaaxhom), VTR? (k’áanKab), cambisol (ka’Kab) andrendzina (áak’alché); also the soil eutricfluvisol and the substrate premier pro-mix VFT?, as a source for comparison. The experimental design was completely randomized, with seven treatments and seven replications. The evaluated variables were: radical length, number of roots, plant height, number of leaves, rate of growth and accumulation of nutrients in leaves (NAL). After 100 days of observation, the results indicated that in calcimorphic soils the soursop grows at a rate of 0.22 and 0.26 cm day-1 (root system and aerial part, respectively); being physicochemically best, vertisol and cambisol. However, the calcimorphic soils used in this investigation are deficient in K; although at highest concentration of N, P, Ca and Mg in the soil solution, greater was its NAL.