Growth and nitrogen uptake march of spearmint (Mentha x villosa (Huds))

Abstract

Information on chemical fertilization and nutritional requirements of medicinal plants is still scarce, there is no adequate recommendation for spearmint in the fertilization manual of the state of Pernambuco. Nitrogen, for being present in important molecules for all biological processes, is considered an essential element for plants. The march of nutrient uptake allows the producer to establish the amounts and the right time for the fertilization of each nutrient. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the growth rate and nitrogen uptake of spearmint in pots, in a greenhouse. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse, in the IFSertãoPE, Campus Petrolina Zona Rural. An experimental design was used entirely randomized, with 7 treatments and 6 repetitions. Each treatment corresponded to a sampling period, performed every 10 days after transplanting. The dry matter, content and accumulation of N in the aerial part and root were evaluated in each period. The production of dry mass in mint varied in a quadratic manner over time, with a greater increase after 30 DAT. The N contents vary quadratically over time, being decreasing after 30 DAT. The accumulation of total N in spearmint varies in a quadratic manner over time, with greater growth starting at 30 DAT. The recommended dose of N for spearmint in the first cut of the crop is 29.2 kg.ha-1.