The objective of this study was to characterize the visual symptoms of macronutrients and boron deficiencies in the pineapple 'Imperial', and involve them in the foliar diagnosis. The full treatment, - N, - P - K, - Ca, - Mg, - and S - B was applied as nutrient solutions in plastic pots with 14 kg of purified sand beach and a seedling of pineapple, as an experimental unit . The design was a randomized complete block with six replicates. The visual symptoms of nutritional deficiency were photographed and described during the process of growth and development of plants. Also, it was evaluated the leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and B in the leaf 'D' for five, seven, nine and 12 months after planting. The deficiency of N caused the yellowing of the plant leaves in the crown of the fruits and pale flesh of the fruit; and P, new reddish-purple leaves and fruits with a reddish bark; the one of K, necrosis of the tip of the oldest leaves and browning of the fruit pulp; and the one of Mg, necrosis of leaves at the base of the crown of the fruit, and in the deficiency of B, fruits with cork and crack. Despite the low leaf levels of S and Ca, at the time of harvest fruits, it was not observed visual symptoms of deficiency in the fruit. The leaf levels at the beginning of symptoms and disability at the time of fruits harvest were, respectively: N = 8.7 and 6.8, P = 0.70, and 0.32, K = 11.6 and 3.2; Mg = 0.73 and 0.54 g kg-1 and B = 5.8 and 5.5 mg kg-1.
Ananas comosus; mineral disability; mineral composition; nutrient solution
