Amostras de diversas partes de frutos tropicais foram colhidas para estudo de sua composição mineral. Os materiais estudados foram representados por amostras de abacate "collinson", abacaxi "cayenne", banana "nanicão", castanha-do-pará, goiaba "IAC-4", jaca-dura, mamão-de-polpa-amarela, mangas "haden", "extrema" e "carlota", e maracujá flavicarpa. Para as análises químicas, os frutos foram divididos em casca, polpa e sementes (abacate e jaca); em casca + polpa e sementes (mamão e manga); em casca e polpa (abacaxi); em casca do fruto, casca de amêndoa e amêndoa (castanha-do-pará); banana, goiaba e maracujá não foram divididos. Foram calculadas as porcentagens de água nessas partes e as proporções dessas partes em relação ao fruto inteiro. Nas amostras secas dos frutos ou de suas partes foram dosados todos os nutrientes minerais das plantas, além de cobalto, alumínio e sódio. As quantidades dos elementos extraídos foram calculadas por tonelada de frutos nas condições normais de colheita. De um modo geral, nitrogênio e potássio foram os nutrientes extraídos em quantidades mais elevadas e o molibdênio, nas mais baixas. A castanha-do-pará foi o fruto que extraiu os nutrientes em quantidades mais elevadas.

Samples from different parts of a fruit, and from several tropical fruits were collected, in order to study their mineral composition. The fruits studied were: Avocado (Persea americana 'Collinson'), pineapple (Ananas comosus 'Cayenne'), banana (Musa acuminata 'Nanicão'), Brazilian nut (Bertholettia excelsa HBK), guava (Psidium guajava 'IAC-4'), jack fruit with hard pulp (Artocarpus integrifolia L.), papaya. with yellow pulp (Carica papaya L.), mango (Mangifera indica 'Haden', 'Extrema' and 'Carlota'), "maracujá" (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa). For chemical analysis, these fruits were divided into the skin and nut, pulp and seeds when this differentiation was possible. The water percentage of these parts and their relative proportion to the entire fruit were calculated. All essential elements were determined in dry samples of the fruit parts, as well as cobalt, aluminium, and sodium. The mineral uptake was calculated per metric ton of fruit under normal conditions of harvest. In general, the nitrogen and potassium uptake were the greatest, whereas the molibdenum was the least one. The fruit that showed the greatest nutrient uptake was the Brazilian nut.

Procedeu-se à análise de folhas coletadas no verão, outono e inverno, num ensaio de adubação qualitativa instalado na Estação Experimental de Pariquera Açu, do Instituto Agronômico, com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fertilizantes na absorção de nutrientes pela pimenteira-do-reino. A amostragem de verão revelou efeito dos tratamentos sobre os teores de fósforo, potássio e cobre, sendo por isso recomendada para fins de diagnose foliar. Apenas para potássio houve aumento de concentração nas folhas quando se compararam as médias dos tratamentos com e sem cada um dos nutrientes.

A field trial was conducted since 1965 at the Pariquera Açu Experiment Station, State of São Paulo, to study the effects of the presence and absence of fertilizer on black pepper (Piper nigrum L.). In 1973, recently mature leaves were collected in summer, fall and winter in order to verify the effects of the treatments on the foliar concentration of macro and micronutrients. Summer sampling showed effect of fertilizer treatments on the concentration of phosphorus, potassium, and copper. Fall sampling showed effect only for potassium and no effect was observed in the winter. When the average contents of nutrients from fertilized and not fertilized treatments were compared, only potassium revealed differences by the Scheffé test.

Dados do ano agrícola 1972-73 de dois ensaios permanentes de adubação em milho foram utilizados para determinar os efeitos da aplicação anual continuada de sulfato de amônio, superfosfato simples e cloreto de potássio na produção e composição química dos grãos. A análise química foliar foi utilizada para determinar os efeitos dessas variações nutricionais. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a adubação e as condições ambientes (localidade) afetaram significativamente a produção e a composição das folhas e dos grãos.

Data of a continuous fertilization yield trial were analysed in two locations in 1972-73, to study the effect of continuous annual application of ammonium sul-phate, simple superphosphate and potassium chloride on yield and composition of kernels. The foliar chemical analysis was utilized to determine the plant response to the fertilizer application. Data showed a significant effect of local conditions on the yield and composition of plant material. Ammonium sulphate and superphosphate increased yield in both locations whereas potassium chloride was a factor only in Mococa. Phosphate application was the main factor to explain yield in any condition. In Mococa the nitrogen dosage, the contents of N, S, P, Mn, Cu, Zn in the leaf +4 and yield were positively correlated with protein and negatively associated with starch percentage of the seed. All the above cited nutrients increased with ammonium sulphate application. Both phosphate fertilizer and P in leaves correlated positively with seed oil content. Potassium fertilizer and K in leaves were positively correlated with percent oil and negatively associated with linoleic acid. Total oil content and linoleic acid showed negative correlation. There was a tendency for potassium fertilizer decrease starch in the grain. This was evidenced by negative correlation between K and CI in the leaves and kernel starch. Both locations showed significant correlation between same leaf and grain elements. Sulphur and N, Mo-Fe were positive whereas Pe-P and Al-P showed negative values. The amino acids glycine, lysine, and tryptophan in the protein fraction of the seed were negatively associated with crude protein content in Mococa, while there was an increase of proline followed by reduction of phenylalanine and arginine in Campinas. Yield and P in the leaf correlated positively with oil content in both places. Both oil content and fatty acid composition were affected by location. High oil content seeds revealed higher levels of oleic, palmitic, stearic, and lower linoleic acid content.

Em três experimentos conduzidos em latossolo roxo distrófico recém-desmatado, foram aplicados 2.500 kg de calcário dolomítico por hectare, cerca de cinco meses de antecedência ao plantio, num estudo de adubação com cinco níveis de fósforo e potássio, visando avaliar a produção de soja nesse solo. Os dados de análise química da terra coletada antes da aplicação do corretivo e antes da aplicação de fertilizante na época de plantio da soja, mostraram que houve modificações nas características químicas do solo. Verificaram-se aumentos da disponibilidade de fósforo, potássio, cálcio, magnésio e uma diminuição do teor de alumínio livre no solo. Não houve diferença nos níveis dePeK determinados nas folhas, entre os tratamentos com calagem e os que receberam calagem e adubação. Também não houve aumento significativo na produção de soja.

Three experiments were conducted to study five levels of phosphorus and potassium on the yield of soybeans in recently cleared land, where dolomitic lime was applied at the rate of 2,500 kg/ha. Soil samples were taken before the application of lime and before the application of the fertilizer at the time of planting soybeans. The soil analysis data showed that with the application of lime there was an increase in soil phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, and a decrease in aluminum. The application of levels of fertilizer phosphorus and potassium increased the percentage of leaf phosphorus and potassium, but did not surpass the level of adequacy. There was no significant increase in the yield of soybeans by the application of levels of phosphorus and potassium.

As concentrações de cálcio e magnésio em extratos de plantas podem ser determinadas por fotometria de chama de absorção com a precisão e exatidão requeridas, mediante a adição de lantânio na concentração de 0,1 %,como agente protetor. Para obtenção dos dados utilizou-se um espectrofotômetro Perkin-Elmer, modelo 303, equipado com sistema digital de leitura.

A method for determination of calcium and magnesium by absorption flame photometry was studied using a Perkin-Elmer model 303 spectrophotometer equiped with digital concentration readout model DCR1. The study of interferents was carried out with concentration usually present in plant material or even in higher concentrations to get information about the possibility of applying this method to other materials. Within the limits of concentration studied, it was observed that calcium determination was affected by the ions Fe 3+, Al3+ , Mn 2+, Si 4+, PO3-4 and SO2-4 . The ions Mg2+ , K+ , Na+ , Cu2+ , Zn2+ , CI- , NO-3 and ClO-4 had no interference. Magnesium determination was affected only by the presence of the ions Al3+ and Si4+. The use of 0.1% lanthanum solution suppressed the interference of 10 ppm of Al3+, Fe3+ or Mn2+, 50 ppm of Si4+ and 100 ppm of PO3-4 or SO2-4 on a 5 ppm calcium solution. It suppressed also the effect of 10 ppm of Al or 50 ppm of Si in the absorbance of 1 ppm magnesium solution. In the application of the method for calcium and magnesium in plant analysis, 0.200 g of dried plant material was digested with 1 ml of nitric acid and 0.5 ml percloric acid. The volume was completed to 50 ml with distilled water. A portion (2 to 10 ml) was transfered to a 50 ml volumetric flask, lanthanum was added to a final concentration of 0.1% and the volume was taken to 50 ml. Calcium and magnesium in plant material were determined using calibration curves, obtained with calcium solutions varying from 0 to 10 ppm and magnesium solutions varying from 0 to 2 ppm (both had 0.1% lanthanum). The method here described yields good accuracy and precision, and seems to be suitable for routine analysis of plant material.

É apresentado um método de determinação, num mesmo extrato de planta, de ferro, manganês e zinco na fase aquosa, e de cobre, após sua extração em solvente orgânico. Para êsse estudo usou-se um analisador automático de absorção atômica Perkin-Elmer, modêlo 4A. Somente á silica, em certas concentrações, poderá constituir problema na determinação de manganês ou ferro, na ausência de cálcio. Na extração quantitativa do cobre é necessário conservar o pH abaixo de 2, para evitar interferência de ferro.

A method was developed to determine quantitatively Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in a bulk plant extract, using flame absorption photometry. The process measures Fe, Mn and Zn directly in the aqueous solution, but a concentration of the extract with organic solvents is required for copper determination. Essentially the process consists in obtaining the plant extract through digestion of 1.000 g of the ground dry samples, with HNO3 and later with HC10(4)-H2S0(4) (7:1 v/v), then the solution is diluted to 50 ml with water. Thirty ml of this solution are transferred to a separatory funnel, where the copper is extracted by the ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate/ methyl isobutyl ketone system, and its amount determined. It is necessary to keep the pH below 2 to avoid interference of Fe on Cu determination. Mn, Fe and Zn are determined directly in the remaining 20 ml of plant extract. It has been noticed that silicon might cause some problems in the determination of Fe and Mn, in the absence of Ca. All the determinations were made in a Perkin-Elmer mod. 4A atomic absorption automatic analyser.

Resultados de análises foliares obtidos durante cinco anos em ensaio de adubação química nitrogenada em café, cultivar Mundo Nôvo, instalado em Latossolo Roxo transição para Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo orto, revelaram, para amostras colhidas no verão, teores médios de 2,8% a 3% de nitrogênio total como indicativos de uma nutrição adequada. Produções elevadas de frutos estiveram associadas com teores da ordem de 500 ppm de nitrogênio nítrico nas fôlhas. A análise de fôlhas para ambas as formas de nitrogênio mostrou que a aplicação do adubo nitrogenado em pelo menos três parcelas, no período que vai de outubro a março, parece importante para prevenir a deficiência.

Nitrogen is highly demanded by coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants, and previous survey, made by foliar analysis, indicated that most of them, grown in São Paulo State, suffer nitrogen deficiency. A study was made to observe the variation of the total and nitric nitrogen, as judged by foliar chemical analysis, in relation to the type, amount and the timing of the application of several different nitrogen fertilizers (Nitrocálcio, nitrate of soda from Chile, ammonium sulphate, and urea). The experiment, a factorial of 4x4x4, was installed in a mixture of Latosolic B "Terra Roxa" and Ortho Red-Yellow Latosol at Experimental Center of Campinas, SP. The amount of the fertilizer used was 45, 90, 135 and 180 g N/plant, subdivided in 1 to 4 applications throughout the year. P2O5 (120 g) and K(2)0 (180 g) were uniformly applied to all plants. Leaf samples were collected at 45 days intervals between October and March, and another at July, from 1964 to 1969. The results of the analysis indicated that: (a) sampling during summer (January-March) is better to evaluate nitrogen deficiency in coffee; (b) total nitrogen content of 2.8-3% (and about 500 ppm of nitric N) was correlated to a production of more than 2,500 kg/ha of treated beans; (c) the subdivision of the fertilizers applied, at least 3 times during the rainy season, seemed to be important to avoid N deficiency.

Em amostras de 134 cafèzais, distribuídos nos principais grupos de solos do Estado de São Paulo, colhidas em três estações do ano, foram determinados 12 elementos químicos essenciais, sódio e alumínio. A percentagem de cafèzais deficientes em nitrogênio foi superior a 80% em todos os solos. No Podzolizado de Lins e Marília, o segundo elemento em falta foi o ferro. No Latossolo Roxo, depois do nitrogênio, a maior deficiência foi a de potássio e zinco; no Podzólico Vermelho Amarelo-Orto, a de boro.

Roughly, coffee fields are distributed on. the main types of soil in the State of São Paulo as follows: Podzolized Soils of Lins and Marilia, 70%; latosolic B "Terra Roxa", 15%; Ortho-Red Yellow Podzol, 10%; other types, 5%. This paper presents and discusses data on foliar analyses of coffee, plants cultivated on the 3 first soil types. It complements a previous survey made on red-yellow ortho podzol. Leaf samples were collected in the spring, summer and fall, from 134 "Mundo Novo" coffee fields. Besides the content of 12 essential elements, amount of Na and Al were also determined in these samples. Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The first 3 elements were determined in a wet digest of 0.5 g of dry plant material with a mixture of HNO3-H2SO4-HC10(4), in a final volume of 20 ml. Determination of Cu, on the other hand, required an extract obtained by dissolving in 10 ml of 0.25N HC1, ashes from 1.25 g of dry leaf tissue, incinerated at 500°C for 2 hours. The same extract used for Fe, Zn and Mn analyses served for Na and Al determination. However, content of Al was estimated by colorimetric method of Aluminon (1) whereas amount of Na was determined by flame emission photometry (2). The remaining elements - N, P, K, Ca Mg, S-S0(4), B and Mo - were determined according to the process described by Lott et al (4, 5). Evaluation of the nutritional condition of the coffee fields in each soil type was based upon the amount of the elements present in the leaf tissue sampled in the summer, compared to the levels considered as critical (4). The results of these evaluations showed a high proportion of plants defficient in nitrogen, in all soil types, indicating the importance of nitrogen fertilization. In Podzolized Soils of Lins and Marilia, attention should be given to Fe, Ca and Zn defficiency; there is also the possibility of toxic effects induced by excess of Mn in such soils. Besides N defficiency, latosolic B "Terra Roxa" had frequently defficiency of K and Zn, while Ortho-Red Yellow Podzol, of boron.

Análises de folhas de milho (híbrido H-6999B) foram correlacionadas com as produções em 31 ensaios de adubação em diferentes localidades e solos do Estado de São Paulo. Num total de 24 ensaios para nitrogênio e 26 para o fósforo foram encontradas as correlações: nitrogênio, r = 0,51++, y = - 4,26 + 28,66 x; e fósforo, r =0,47++, y = 43,21 + 160,83 x. As correlações para nitrato não foram consistentes. A omissão de enxofre na presença de NPK resultou em decréscimo variável na produção e no teor de S-S0(4) nas folhas. Com base nos resultados foram estabelecidos os seguintes níveis limiares nas folhas: nitrogênio (N) = 2,90%; fósforo (P) = 0,230%; potássio (K), latossolo roxo = 1,70%; solos podzolizados com cascalho = 2,80%; outros solos = 2,10 a 2,70%.

A correlation between foliar analysis and yield of corn was established, based on 31 fertilizer experiments conducted during the period of 1962-64, at 16 different localities of the State of São Paulo. In these trials five levels each of N, P2O5 and K2O were used; plots with and without sulfur were also included. Arranging in groups all the trials showing positive coefficients of correlation for total nitrogen (24 trials) and phosphorus (26 trials), the following correlations for total nitrogen (24 trials) and phosphorus (26 trials), the following correlations were found in each case: nitrogen, r = 0.51**, y - 4.26 + 28.66 x; phosphorus, r = 0.47**, y = 43.21 + 160.83 x. As the K content of levaves was affected mainly by soil type, the correlations for leaf potassium were obtained separately special consideration being given to this circumstance. The nitrate content of midribs, required for best yields, varies in the same year from locality to locality and in the same site, from year to year. This uncontrollable variability, of course, makes the interpretation of nitrate data difficult. The plants not receiving sulfur averaged low yields and had lower sulfate--sulfur content in the leaves. [The normal ones had 40 kg S per hectare but all plots received a central dose of 60 kg per hectare of each N or P2O5, and 30kg per hectare of K2O] . It seems that the mean values for calcium and magnesium in leaves, obtained from the range of levels which provides high yields, may be indicative of normal composition. Limiting leaf nutrient values associated with 80 per cent maximum yields in the field are as follows: nitrogen (N), 2.90%; phosphorus (P), 0.230%; potassium (K) - latosolic B terra roxa type of soil, 1.70%; gravelly podzolized soils, 2.80%; other soil types, 2.10- 2.70%.

Estudo da composição das folhas de cana-planta e de cana-soca de primeiro corte, em diferentes regiões canavieiras do Estado de São Paulo. Amostras de duas variedades, em duas idades, de cana-planta, e numa de soca, foram analisadas para doze elementos: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo e Zn. Pelo levantamento nutricional foi feita a distribuição dos teores de cada elemento, por freqüência. A evidência das variações na composição das fôlhas, permitiu a interpretação das análises com base nas faixas críticas de teores admitidas para cada amostragem e variedade. Os elementos K, Mg, N, P, S e Fe foram os que apresentaram maior porcentagem na faixa de carência.

A leaf analysis survey of sugar cane plantations in São Paulo was conducted with twelve essential plant nutrients. These included sulfate--sulfur and total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B and Mo. Samples consisting of leaf blades +3 for the 2 major commercial varieties Co. 419 and CB. 41/76 were collected in 32 counties from 89 fields when the cane was 4 and 9 months old, and from 69 groves of the ratoon cane crop, when 4 to 5 months of age. The analyses were carried out on the 8 middle inches of the leaf blades. Only lamina was used. The results indicated clear-cut differences in leaf-nutrient contents attributed to the following variables: age of the cane at sampling, type of crop (plant or ratoon canes) and varieties. In general, the ranges in the levels of the elements in the blades for both varieties in all locations were very wide. Nitrogen had the smallest and molybdenum the largest variation, among the different nutrient elements analyzed. Based on the frequency distribution of leaf nutrient content, it was noted that a higher percentage of sugar cane plantations was found to have lower levels in the following decreasing order: K, Mg, N, P, S and Fe.