Vegetative development and macronutrients levels in calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) in response to nitrogen and phosphate fertilization

Abstract

An experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, MS, Brasil in a Red Latossol (tipic haplortox), to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus levels on fresh and dry matter yield and leaf N and P level. The treatments consisted of five N levels (0, 73, 146, 219 and 292 mg pots⁻¹) and five phosphorus levels (0, 73, 146, 219 and 292 mg pots⁻¹) in a factorial scheme completely randomized with four replications. Two plants were transplanted to 3.5 dm³ pots. At the flowering, stems, leaves and flowers were harvested. Nitrogen and phosphorus influenced all evaluated characteristics with the best accumulation of these elements in the plant. The fresh matter yield was greatest at 20.53 g and dried matter yield was not reached. The maximum production of fresh and dried flowerheads matter were 4.70 g and 0.52 g, respectively. Foliar N and P level increased with addition of the nutrients and level of N in aerial parts decreased with the addition of P.