Two trials were conducted under greenhouse conditions at the FCAV/UNESP facilities in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, to determine dry matter accumulation, as well as macronutrient distribution and accumulation in maize plants from October 2000 to February 2001, and in Alexandergrass, a major maize weed, especially in southern Brazil, from September 2003 to February 2004. The trials were arranged in a completely randomized experimental design, with four replicates. The plants were grown in seven-liter pots, filled with sand and irrigated daily with nutrient solution. The treatments consisted of different evaluations taken every 14 days, as follows: at 21, 35, 49, 63, 77, 91, 105, 119 and 133 days after maize plant emergence, and at 21, 35, 49, 63, 77, 91, 105, 119, 133 and 147 days after Alexandergrass emergence. The maximum theoretical dry matter accumulation point occurred at 122 days after emergence (DAE) for maize plants (143.8 g per plant) and at 143 DAE for Alexandergrass (23.9 g per plant). Daily absorption rate of macronutrients reached the greatest values between 71 and 104 DAE for maize plants and between 96 and 111 DAE for the weed. Taking into account the average values of the inflexion points observed for maize crops, it is possible to estimate that at 85 DAE one maize plant accumulates theoretically 83.0 g of dry matter; 788.9 mg of N; 137.5 mg of P; 1385.6 mg of K; 551.8 mg of Ca; 217.9 mg of Mg and 92.5 mg of S. In the same period, a B. plantaginea plant accumulates theoretically 9.6 g of dry matter; 127.8 mg of N; 15.9 mg of P; 217.3 mg of K; 43.9 mg of Ca; 58.3 mg of Mg and 15.8 mg of S.
alexandergrass; biomass; mineral nutrition; growth analysis
