Black pepper (Piper nigrum, L.) is usually grown in soils of low natural fertility and high aluminum saturation. An experiment using young plants of the Guajarina cultivar grown in nutrient solution was carried out in order to verify the effects of aluminum on the growth and chemical composition and determine the concentration in the substrate which causes toxicity symptoms. Aluminum was added to the nutrient solution at the rates of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 mg/L. The initial symptom of Al toxicity was a slower development of the roots, which were thicker than those of the control. Dry weight increased when aluminum supply increased from 0 to 15 ppm Al; correspondingly there was a higher uptake of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe and AL It appears that black pepper is tolerant to Al concentrations as high as 20 mg/L. Higher rates cause nutritional disturbances and reduction in growth.
black pepper; aluminum toxicity; absorption; nutrition
