The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of the deficiencies of the macronutrients and of boron in 'Imperial' pineapple on the leaf concentrations of those nutrients. The treatments Complete, - N, - P; - K, - Ca, - Mg, - S and - B were applied as nutrient solutions, to plastic pots filled with 14 kg of purified beach sand and one pineapple seedling, as the experimental unit, in a randomized complete block design with six replicates. The "D" leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and B were determined at five, seven, nine and 12 months after the planting. The deficiency of N reduced the absorption of S, but it increased the concentrations of P, K, Mg and B; that of P reduced N, Ca, Mg, S and B concentrations, but it increased that of K; that of K increased N, P, Ca, Mg, S and B concentrations; that of Ca increased K and Mg concentrations and reduced the one of S; that of Mg and of B increased Ca concentration and that of S increased K and B concentrations. The leaf concentrations of the normal and deficient plants at the beginning of fruit growth were, respectively: N = 14,8 and 9,7; P = 1,23 and 0,67; K = 20,0 and 11,6; Ca: 4,37 and 0,91; Mg = 2,26 and 0,73; S = 1,45 and 0,45 g kg-1 and B = 18,4 and 5,8 mg kg-1.
leaf diagnosis; nutrient content; nutrient solution
