MICRONUTRIENTS ACCUMULATION AT DIFFERENT MAIZE DEVELOPMENT STAGES

The study of micronutrients accumulation as a function of plant development stage is of fundamental importance to subsidize strategies for fertilizer application and minimum amount to maintain soil fertility. This study evaluated micronutrient accumulation in two maize cultivars at different development stages. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications in split-plots, with two maize hybrids as the plots and sampling time according to development stages as sub-plots. Maize accumulated minimum amounts of B, Cu, Mn, and Zn in the initial stages of development, and the maximum accumulated values were observed after 100 days seedling emergency. The evaluated hybrids accumulated maximum of Zn and Cu close to physiological maturity. Maize plants accumulate nutrients in the above ground parts as follows: Zn > Mn > Cu > B. The total amount of nutrients required to produce one ton of corn is: 0.0009 kg B; 0.019 to 0.02 kg Cu; 0.042 to 0.046 kg Mn; 0.100 to 0.194 kg Zn.