Dry matter and root morphology of upland rice plants as a function of zinc fertilization

Abstract

The study aimed was to evaluate the upland rice cultivars behavior submitted to different levels of zinc, aiming to identify development alterations of the root system and the shoot. The experiment was carried in 8 dm^-3 pots in greenhouse, up 64 days after the emergency of the plants. The experiment was design 4 x 3 completely randomized, consisted by four zinc levels (0, 4, 8 and 16 mg dm^-3) and three upland rice cultivars (‘Caiapó’, ‘Maravilha’ and ‘Primavera’) with four replications. The root diameter increased by the Zn high level fertilization. Length, surface and root volume did not influenced by the zinc levels. The cultivars of ‘Caiapó’ traditional group and ‘Primavera’ intermediate showed increased root lenght then the ‘Maravilha’ modern group. Cultivars with greater root lenght (‘Caiapó’e ‘Primavera’) demonstrated higher lever of Zn levels in the shoot.