NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION IN 'PALUMA' GUAVA TREES: II. EFFECT ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF THE PLANTS

The proper mineral fertilization of guava orchards under intensive management, is a major factor in productivity and monitoring the nutritional status of the plants contributes to the efficiency of this agronomic practice. The aim of this study was to investigate different doses of nitrogen and potassium in the nutritional status of guava 'Paluma'. The experiment was conducted at Vista Alegre do Alto, Sao Paulo, in a 7 year old irrigated orchard, managed with fruiting pruning during four consecutive growing seasons. The soil is a dystrophic Ultisol. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in factorial, with four nitrogen doses (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg of N plant(-1)) and four of potassium (0, 0.55, 1.1 and 2.2 kg of K2O plant(-1)), with three replications. Nitrogen fertilization promoted increased levels of leaf N and Mn and the decrease in the levels of P and B; effects observed from the second to the fourth production cycle. Nitrogen fertilization increased the Ca and Mg levels, respectively, in the second and third cycle. Except for the first production cycle, K and Mn foliar concentrations increased with increasing potassium fertilization, whereas the levels of Mg, in the second and the fourth cycle, decreased as a function of fertilization.