The culture of the popcorn comes as a promising culture for region of the Brazilian northeast, however they are still scarce studies to make possible the expansion of this culture, especially as the fertilization. This experiment was accomplished in the department of Environmental Sciences of the Rural Federal University of the Semi-arid (UFERSA), Mossoró, RN, with the objective of evaluating the effect in different ammonium:nitrate ratios in the initial development of the popcorn. The design was used randomized entirely with five treatments and four repetitions, with the treatments being constituted of ratios different NH4 +: NO3 - (0/100, 25/75, 50/50, 75/25 and 100/0) and the experimental unit acted by a plant/vase. To the 45 DAS the plants were collected and appraised, as for the height, number of leaves, leave area, diameter the stem and matter total dry. The results obtained in this work evidence that plants of popcorn present a larger development when the supply of nitrogen is accomplished with application of this nutritious one in the form ammonium.