To characterize macronutrient deficiencies in black pepper plants (Piper nigrum L.), an experiment was conducted using pepper cuttings, "Guajarina"¹ cultivar, grown in pots containing silex and the following nutrient solutions: -N, -P, -K, -Ca, -Mg, -S and complete. The nutrient deficiencies were described at 90 and 150 days after omission of nutrients. The most absorbed nutrients were potassium and nitrogen, followed by Ca, Mg, S and P. The omission of N was the treatment which most afected plant growth, followed by Ca and K. The analytical indices in the leaves of complete and omission treatments were respectively: N = 1.89 and 1.39%, P = 0.12 and 0.06%, K = 2.19 and 1.22%, Ca = 1.04 and 0.73%, Mg = 0.35 and 0.14%, S = 0.18 and 0.12%.
black pepper; nutrition deficiency; symptoms; visual diagnosis
