Lettuce plants, cv. Vera, were grown at five NH4+:NO3- ratios in the nutrient solution in a 0.15 m deep sand growing bed. A standard nutrient solution was used, with the composition of, in mmol L-1, 11.0 NO3-; 1.5 H2PO4-; 6.5 SO4--; 7.5 Ca++; 10.0 K+ and 1.5 Mg++, and, in mg L-1, 0.42 Mn; 0.26 Zn; 0.05 Cu; 0.50 B; 0.04 Mo, and 4.82 chelate Fe. Ammonium nitrate was used to supply NH4+ concentrations of 2.5; 5; 7.5 and 10 mmol L-1, reaching NH4+:NO3- ratios of 0:11 (T1); 2.5:13.5 (T2); 5:16 (T3); 7.5:18.5 (T4) and 10:21 mmol L-1 (T5) as treatments. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with four replications and 20 plants per plot. Four plants of each plot were harvested at 25 days after planting, to determine shoot and root dry mass, shoot... |