Growt, yield and nutrient accumulation by sweet corn (Zea mays var. saoharata) cv. Contibrasil was studied in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil on a Dark Red Latossol, "Luiz de Queiroz" serie, with a very high natural fertility. Fertilizer used consisted of 10.5g of N per meter as sidedressing, 30 and 60 days after emergence. Plant population consisted of 45,000 plants per hectare. Plant samples were collected for analysis 45, 60, 75, 90 and 105 days after germination. Each plant was separated into young and old leaves, stems, tassel and ears for chemical analysis of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. Results showed maximum quantities of dry matter were produced by 105 day-old plants; the macronutrient accumulated by the whole plant in larger quantity was N followed by K, P, Ca=S, and Mg; micronutrient accumulated by the entire plant obeyed the following decreasing order: Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and B; maximum accumulation of micronutrients occurred in the stems, except for N which occurred in the ears. Exportation of nutrients by the ears represented 26.15% of the total content in the plantation.
sweet corn; extraction; macronutrients; micronutrients; exportation