Accumulation of Dry Matter and Nutrients by Supersweet Corn

Abstract

Brazil has a great potential for the production of supersweet corn. However, this crop is lacking in technical information that assists in the management of fertilization and mineral nutrition aiming at a high crop yield, a high industrial performance, and a low environmental impact. This study aimed to quantify the growth and accumulation of nutrients by supersweet corn ‘GSS 41243’, in Guaíra, Brazil, from April to August 2013. Plant samples were collected 20 to 100 days after emergence, with 10-days intervals. At the end of the cycle, the crop accumulated 21.5 t ha^-1 of dry matter, 39 % of which accumulated in the ears (8.4 t ha^-1). The amount of nutrients accumulated by the crop were 306.8, 46.2, 406.3, 39.0, 33.4 and 23.1 kg ha^-1 of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S, respectively, and 213.6, 118.4, 3,360.0, 784.0 and 684.0 g ha^-1 of B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, respectively. In relation to the total accumulated, the nutrient exports in the ears corresponded, in kg ha^-1, to 103,0 (N); 19.0 (P); 104.5 (K); 3.4 (Ca); 9.90 (Mg); 7.3 (S) and, in g ha^-1, at 64.0 (B); 33.6 (Cu); 632 (Fe); 184 (Mn) and 320 (Zn).