Accumulation of macronutrients in different parts of sunflower fertilized with cassava wastewater

Abstract

ABSTRACT The utilization of organic wastes in agriculture is an alternative that can reduce the amounts of mineral fertilizers applied to the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of macronutrients in sunflower cv. 'Hélio 250' fertilized with cassava wastewater. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design, with six treatments (0; 8.5; 17; 34; 68 and 136 m3 ha-1 of cassava wastewater) and four replications. The accumulation of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S) were evaluated in leaves, stem, capitulum and achenes. The cassava wastewater dose of 136 m3 ha-1 promoted the greatest accumulation of all evaluated nutrients. The pattern of macronutrients accumulation occurred in the following order: leaves - Ca > K > N > Mg > S > P; stem - K > Ca > Mg > N > P > S; capitulum - N > K > P > Mg > Ca > S; and achenes - N > P > K > Mg > S > Ca. The extraction of nutrients by whole sunflower plants occurred in the following order: N > K > Ca > Mg > P > S. Cassava wastewater provided appropriate concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S; therefore, it has potential as an organic fertilizer for the studied sunflower cultivar.