The cauliflower is one of the main vegetables grown in Brazil. The study of growth and nutrients accumulation by cauliflower could be useful for its fertilization. Therefore, a research was conducted in the field to determine the nutrients accumulation by 'Verona' cauliflower, from February 23 to June 5, 2006. The experiment consisted initially of 480 plants divided into three blocks. For each period two plants per block were collected. Five samples of the vegetative part were collected each 14 days after transplantation and three samples of inflorescences were collected every four days after the beginning of the cauliflower formation. Also, plant growth and nutrient accumulation in the inflorescences, stem, leaves and petioles were evaluated. Plants showed linear increase of growth and accumulation of dry matter. The greatest accumulation period occurred from the beginning of the inflorescence formation up to the harvest. The decreasing order of accumulated nutrients was: N>K>Ca>S>Mg>P>Fe>Mn>Zn>B>Cu. The export of nutrients (g per plant of macronutrients and mg per plant of micronutrients) by inflorescences was 3.50 of N; 0.296 of K; 0.06 of Ca; 0.290 of S; 0.032 of Mg; 0.249 of P; 2.08 of Fe; 0.375 of Mn; 1.01 of Zn; 1.45 of B and 0.07 of Cu.
Brassica oleracea var; botrytis; nutrition; soil
