Field trials were conducted with the aim of establishing DRIS norms for green dwarf coconut in the North of the state of Rio de Janeiro as an alternative for the nutritional diagnosis of plants. Trials were conducted in the districts of São João da Barra, at São João farm and Quissamã, at Capivari farm, from March, 2000 to December, 2001. A high yielding crop at the São João farm, whose mean yield was 227 ± 16 fruits plant-1 year-1, had leaves samples taken at 132 days intervals during a two year period to establish DRIS norms. Lower yielding plants at the Capivari farm were nutritionally diagnosed by means of the generated DRIS norms. The plants to be diagnosed were divided into four yielding categories, <100; 101-150; 151-200 and >200 fruits plant-1 year-1. The diagnosis by means of DRIS indicated the following limitation order of deficiency: K> Ca> B, in the coconut culture at the Capivari farm. The classes of smaller productivity presented K and B DRIS indices more negative than the class of larger productivity. An apparent nutritional unbalance between Ca and Mg was indicated.
Cocos nucifera L.; DRIS; nutritional status; sufficiency range
