Nitrogen and potassium applications affected the nutrient concentration and accumulation of sweet pepper, cultivar Mayata, grown in a protected environment. An experiment was conducted in a protected environment in Eutrostox, during 34 weeks from November, 1996 to August, 1997, with the following treatments: control and combination of three rates of N (13.3; 26.6 and 39.9 g m-2) and three rates of K (5.5; 11.0 and 16.6 g m-2). All plants were watered by trickle irrigation and the urea and KCl were applied below each trickler. The results led to the following conclusions: N did not affect the concentration of nutrients in recently-ripened leaves, in the beginning of flowering and fruiting, although K, in high rates, decreased the concentration of P and S, in the beginning of fruiting; N increased the absorption of nutrients on the top part at the end of the cultivation period at the rate of 26.6 g m-2, but did not influence fruit production. Potassium contributed to absorption of nutrient and fruit production, only when concentrations in the soil were low. Patassium, in high rates (16.6 g m-2 ), related with high electric conductivity (1.400 µS cm-1), in a layer of 40 cm and high Cl concentration in the shoot and fruits.
Capsicum annuum; nitrogen fertilization; potassium fertilization; soil salinity