Yield and nitrogenous nutritional status of the plants as a function of seed molybdenum contents and its foliar application - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v25i1.2438

Abstract

The effect on yield and nutrition of bean plants, Phaseolus vulgaris L., of Mo contained in seeds, in association with foliar-applied doses after 25 days on emergence in two planting periods has been evaluated. Two experiments were carried out with the “meia noite” variety. Experiment I, undertaken on March 24, 1999, contained seeds with four Mo contents (0.010 ± 0.0099; 0.138 ± 0.017; 0.24 ± 0.0253; and 0.535 ± 0.024 μg seed-1), combined with four doses of Mo applied on leaves (0, 40 80 and 120 g.ha^-1). In experiment II, undertaken on December 1, 1999, the same doses as experiment I and seeds with Mo contents of 0.000 ± 0; 0.062 ± 0.0107; 0.168 ± 0.0119; and 0.335 ± 0.0338 μgseed^-1, were used. All seeds came from samples kept under the same environmental conditions, from the field production to storage. Experimental design was designed with randomized blocks, with four replications, and treatments distributed in a 4x4 factorial arrangement. Mo contents in the seeds, ranging from 0 to 0.535 μg.seed^-1 in experiment I, and from 0 to 0.335 μg.seed^-1 in experiment II, did not alter productivity. The need of molybdenum fertilization has been demonstrated since grain production has increased. In the two experiments, yield components that most varied were seed weight and number of pods per m². Molybdenum foliar fertilization improved significantly the nitrogenous nutritional status of bean plants and increased organic nitrogen level in the leaf.