Nutrient accumulation in moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam) seedlings in response to macronutrient omission

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam belongs to Moringaceae family and it is well adapted to arid and semiarid conditions and it is largely used as ornamental plant in parks and gardens, as animal feeding, as human diet and as medicine. Since, research information about this plant is rare, the current work aimed to evaluate nutrient accumulation in roots and shoot system of Moringa oleifera Lam seedlings, growing hidroponicaly, under condition of macronutrient omission. The used treatments were: (1) nutritive solution containing all required macronutrients (experimental control) or lacking (2) N; (3) P; (4) K; (5) Ca; (6) Mg and (7) S. Nitrogen and K were the most accumulated macronutrients in the plants followed by Ca, S, P and Mg. The omitted nutrients of the nutritive solution presented the lowest concentrations in the plants. The lack of all the elements, except P, increased the concentration of P in the plants. The omission of Ca and K of the nutritive solution supported the increase of the Mg concentration in the plants. The increase of the Ca concentration in the plants was helped by the omission of K and Mg. The K, Ca and Mg accumulation in the tissues decreased with lack of N in the nutritive solution. The concentrations of P and N in all the parts of the plants increased and decreased with the omission of S in the nutrient solution, respectively.