Banana crop nutrition: insights into different nutrient sources and soil fertilizer application strategies

ABSTRACT Considerable attention has been given to the development of new nutritional management strategies that can contribute to banana production be overestimated. The present study was motivated by the possibility that fertilizer application in front of the daughter plant might be more effective than application to the total banana production area. This study aimed to determine the most suitable site for soil collection to evaluate the chemical properties when fertilizer is applied in front of the daughter plant; to evaluate the efficacy of organic-mineral fertilizer in terms of soil nutrient availability, and to evaluate the effect on banana production. The experiment was conducted in three consolidated areas of banana plantation in Santa Catarina State. The effects of the combination of two main factors were evaluated: three fertilizer sources (mineral, mineral + organic compost or organic-mineral) and two application management (total area or in front of the plants), together with time (three years) and location (three municipalities). Each treatment was evaluated using a grid containing 20 banana plants (spaced at 2.5 × 2.5 m), with three replications of two plants in the central part. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The use of a mineral source reduced the pH over the years, regardless of the application technique. Application of fertilizers in front of the daughter plant increased available P and K in the soil, compared to the application of fertilizers to the total area “uniformly distributed between banana planting lines and between plants”. In addition, the increase in soil P content was higher using organic-mineral sources. The nutrient contents in the banana leaves did not differ according to the fertilization source. The application of fertilizers in front of the daughter plant optimized banana fertilization and increased fruit production. Under these fertilization conditions, soil for chemical analyses should be collected at around 0.70 m from the site of fertilizer application.