NUTRITIONAL DISORDERS BY DEFICIENCY IN SUNFLOWER var. CATISSOL-01

This study was carried out in aerated nutritive solution to evaluate the effect of macronutrients, boron, and zinc omission on plant growth, dry matter production, visual symptoms and nutritional status of sunflower. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with two replications and nine treatments corresponding to the complete solution (macro and micronutrients) and individual omission of N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, B and Zn. We measured plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf area and dry matter, and leaf content of macro and micronutrients. The individual omissions of N, P, K, and Ca were the most limiting to plant dry matter production, and resulted in morphological alterations represented by characteristical visual symptoms of the nutritional deficiency of each element. KEY-WORDS: Helianthus annuus; deficiency; nutritional disorder; nutrients; visual symptom.