The nutrients uptake curve of lettuce plants for seed production was evaluated. The experiment was carried out from September 2003 to February 2004 at the Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas of the Universidade Estadual Paulista, in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. A randomized block design was used, with five replicates and six treatments (periods of plant collection: 0, 20, 34, 49, 69 and 112 days after transplant (DAT)). We utilized the Verônica lettuce cultivar and evaluated the dry mass and the N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn accumulated in the aboveground part of the plants. The greatest increase in the plant dry matter occurred after the marketable point (34 DAT). The period of greatest demand for nutrients was between the beginning of the stem elongation stage and the beginning of the flowering stage. We also observed that for most micronutrients the period of highest demand was after the beginning of the flowering stage. Nutrients accumulation in descending order was: K>N>Ca>Mg>P>S>Fe>Mn>Zn>B>Cu.
Lactuca sativa; nutrient; nutritional demand
