The long pepper (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.) is one of the main alternative sources for the production of safrol used as raw material in the manufacture of insecticides and natural flavoring. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of omission macronutrients and micronutrients, on the mineral composition of long pepper plants, and featuring the symptoms of deficiencies resulting from this limitation, using the missing element technique. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, with four replicates and twelve treatments, complete and individual omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in a completely randomized design. Foliar levels in treatments with the omission of nutrients were lower than those obtained in the complete treatment. The omission of individual nutrients promotes changes in the mineral composition of macro and micronutrients. The levels of macronutrients (g kg-1) and micronutrients (mg kg-1) achieved in the leaves without (complete) and with symptoms of deficiencies (omissions) were, respectively: N = 18,32; P = 7,02; K = 22,17; Ca = 15,75; Mg = 8,25; S = 5,12; B = 42,25; Fe = 325,00; Mn = 100; Zn = 61,50, with deficiencies: N = 8,98; P = 2,52; K = 8,57; Ca = 10,20; Mg = 1,85; S = 0,90; B = 15,50; Fe = 234,00; Mn = 55; Zn = 53.
mineral nutrition; deficiency symptoms; piperaceae
