This work was carried out in order to verify the effect of P, Zn and their interaction on the growth of acerola ( Malpighia glabra L.). The experiment was carried on greenhouse conditions at Lavras Federal University, where seedlings of acerola were planted in pots filled with 1.0 dm³ of Latosol. The seedlings were submitted to four rates of P ( 0.0, 150, 300 and 450 mg.dm-3 of soil) and three rates of Zn (0.0, 5 and 10 mg.dm-3 of soil) obtained from Triple superphosphate and zinc sulphate respectively. After one hundred days the seedlings were harvested and the following parameters were evaluated: plant height, stem girth diameter, dry matter ( root, stem and leaf ) and number of leaves. It was established variance and regression analysis for all parameters indicating a significant effect of P on all variables and no significant effect of Zn on the variables. The results showed that the combination of 450 mg of P.dm-3 and 0 mg of Zn.dm-3 of soil provided seedlings better suitable for planting and higher than the others.
acerola seedlings Malpighia glabra L.; propagation; mineral nutrition
