Morphophysiological Responses of Olive Plants of the Arbequina Cultivar in Acid Soils

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the morphophysiological responses with determinations of the plant height, stem diameter, chlorophyll content, and leaf nutrients of 'Arbequina' olive plant in acid soils. For evaluations of plant height, stem diameter, chlorophyll content, the experimental design was completely randomized arranged in split-plot design. The factor allocated to the main plots was consisted of the time after transplant (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days after transplant-DAT) and, the factor arranged in the subplots was composed by pH with six levels 2.9; 3.1; 3.9; 4.3; 5.0; and, 6.3 (witness). In determination of leaf nutrient content (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, aluminium and boron) was followed the same experimental design, however, only pH was tested. Plant height, stem diameter and chlorophyll content (SPAD) are not prejudiced by acidic pH up to 150 DAT. For the different pH levels tested, the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and boron foliar contents are adequate for the olive crop, except nitrogen at pH 2.9. The 'Arbequina' olive plants adequately support acidic soils even with accentuated additions in the foliar aluminium content.