Vegetables have a natural defense against external factors synthesizing phenolic compounds, which depends on the maturity stage and on the climate. Total phenol grades were extracted from mature and young coffee leaves and were analyzed in relation to yield, phenology and climate. The climatic conditions were described by air temperature, global radiation and daily insolation. Evaluations were made on height, diameter and length of reproductive branches to determine the respective vegetative growth rates of the plants. The amounts of total phenols in the plants at the production stage was 174.0 mg g-1 and 138.9 mg g-1 for young and mature leaves, respectively, and for plants without fruit formation 186.5 mg g-1 and 127.6 mg g-1 for young and mature leaves, respectively. The total phenol concentrations in young leaves with and without fruit formation were 25% and 46% greater compared to mature leaves. The secondary phenol synthesis in seed (146.8 mg g-1) was 31% lower than during grain maturation (212.4 mg g-1). The total phenol metabolization depends indirectly on the temperature and on the global radiation, presenting an inverse trend in relation to these climatic variables. Crop protection management should take into consideration periods of endanger of this natural defense of the plant.

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São descritos e discutidos os sintomas de deficiência de N, P, K, Ca, Mg e B, e de toxicidade de B e Zn, em estévia cultivada em solução nutritiva. -N: desenvolvimento reduzido, folhas pequenas, pouca ramificação, e amarelecimento generalizado. -P: crescimento reduzido. -K: folhas encurvadas, precocemente, para baixo, aparentando menor teor de água; amarelecimento e necrose das folhas mais velhas e menor proporção de ramos. -Ca: pontuações escuras, clorose e necrose nas folhas, além de murchamento e colapso da porção superior do caule. -Mg: clorose internerval em algumas folhas mais velhas, em forma de "V" invertido. -B: raízes com diminuição do crescimento, engrossamento, ramificação curta e escurecimento geral; clorose, necrose e deformação das folhas; em folhas jovens, com sintomas, houve menor teor de clorofila; caule com rachaduras de coloração avermelhada, semelhante às nervuras salientes das folhas; menor proporção de ramos. Plantas com toxicidade de B exibiram manchas pardas nas bordas e ápices das folhas mais velhas, seguido de necrose. Plantas com excesso de Zn exibiram manchas necróticas, inicialmente nas folhas mais velhas, de tamanho e forma irregulares, levando ao murchamento e morte da planta.
Symptoms of the deficiencies of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and B, as well as the toxicity symptoms of B and Zn in stevia plants, growing in nutrient solution, are described. -N: reduced development, small leaves, few branches and generalized yellowing. -P: reduced growth. -K: leaves curving downward, seeming to have lower water content, yellowing and necrosis of older leaves and smaller stem plus branches proportion. -Ca: dark spots, chlorosis and necrosis in leaves as well as wilting and collapse at the upper portion of stem. -Mg: interveinal paling in some older leaves, with an inverted V appearance. -B: roots with growth reduced, thickening, short ramification and general darkening; chlorosis followed by necrosis and deformation of leaves; young leaves with symptoms had smaller chlorophyll content; stem and branches showed crackings with reddish coloration, like salient veins of the leaves; plants had fewer branches. Plants with B toxicity showed brown spots at margins and tips of older leaves, followed by necrosis. Plants with Zn toxicity had necrotic spots, first in older leaves, with irregular size and shape, followed by wilting and death of the plant