Phosphorus doses for producing iceberg lettuce with and without foliar application of zinc

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of phosphate fertilization, with and without foliar application of zinc for producing iceberg lettuce. The experiment was conducted in the Federal Institute of Triângulo Mineiro (IFTM), campus Uberaba, in the field area. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme with 4 replications. Five phosphorus doses were evaluated (50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, 200% of the recommended amount of P₂O₅) with or without foliar application of zinc (0.5 kg.ha-1). There was a significant effect for the characteristics total fresh mass and commercial fresh mass of the plant only regarding the factor phosphorus levels. We conclude that for iceberg lettuce, Lucy Brown cultivar, grown in the region of Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil, it is not recommended to use a zinc-based foliar fertilizer, since this does not provide significant differences in crop yield and phosphate fertilization must have a 50% increase in the currently recommended dose.