Abstract

A substantial number of publications are relating to aspects of fertilization and nutrition of woody exotic species, principally in Eucalyptus spp. and Pinus spp., being little the information for native species. Berberidopsis corallina (Berberidopsidaceae) is endemic specie of Chile in danger of conservation for which there is no information about fertilization. The aim of this research is contribute with new antecedent and evaluated the effect stimulatory of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), fertilizer in the biochemical leaf content in B. corallina as information base for his conservation. A greenhouse experiment in controlled conditions of temperature and irrigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of NPK on the foliar content synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, chlorophyll in B. corallina plants obtained by cutting. The treatments corresponded to the application of N, P and K in different combinations applied in dose of 150 mg L-1 of solution fertilizer prepared from hydrosoluble salt. The more interesting results were obtained by the application of complete solution (NPK). The chlorophyll was the best indicator found in this experiment of the effect of NPK fertilization with average of 8.1 mg mL(-1) compared with treatment control with average of 2.8 mg mL(-1). In general the percentage of carbohydrates and soluble total proteins, increased in 41 and 57 % respectively, in compared with treatment control. Notably the stimulatory effect N addition in the different doses stimulated the synthesis of carbohydrates and proteins. The stimulatory effect of fertilization with N, P and K on the biochemical parameters of the leaves of B. corallina was observed fundamentally in the content of chlorophyll a and b, allowing that the leaves produced should be photosynthetically competent, increasing the content of carbohydrates and soluble total proteins, which might promote the growth in field conditions.