Quantitative evaluation of N uptake and utilisation in plantain (Musa AAB)
1994
Stephenson, K.J. (West Indies Univ., St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago). Dept. of Soil Science)
Three field studies were conducted at the University Field Station on the River Estate Series (Fluventic Eutropepts) in Trinidad and Tobago. The first study determined the zone of nutrient uptake by in vitro propagated plantain at one and five-months old using (**15NH)2SO4. This zone was within a 30 cm radius circle around the plant and incorporated to a depth of 10 cm. The second study evaluated leaf analysis as a diagnostic tool in 15N studies. There was a very strong relationship between 15N analysis of total foliage, 1st leaf and 3rd leaf with percent Nitrogen derived from fertilizer (percent Ndff) and fertilizer use efficiency obtained from total plant analyses. Therefore leaf analysis can be used for diagnosis in **15N research of plantain nutrient requirements at different stages of development especially in conditions of differential fertilizer availability and soil N in time and space. The third study compared the relative efficiencies of banded urea on growth, yield, nutrient uptake and **15N use efficiency of in vitro propagated French plantain as compared to Horn plantain plants derived from sword suckers. In vitro propagated French plantain gave superior growth and yield (50t ha**-1) than Horn plantain (sword suckers) (30t ha**-1). Banded urea was more efficient than fertigated urea, giving a more vigorous plant with 27 '%' higher fruit yield, significantly higher uptake of N, P, K, Mg and a 14 '%' higher **15N recovery. The higher fertilizer N efficiency of banded urea was attributed to the spatial availability of nutrients to plantain roots under tropical conditions. The superiority of banded CO(NH2)2-N observed, deserves further investigation in the dry season.
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