Vegetative growth and nutrient use efficiency of tissue-cultured 'Saba' banana (Musa) plantlets in response to fertigroe sup R N,P, and K nanofertilizers

The study determined the effect of using FertiGroe sup R Nano N (18-0-0), Nano P (0-18-0), and Nano K (0-0-38) nanofertilizers on the growth and nutrient use efficiency of tissue-cultured 'Saba' banana (Musa ABB) plantlets. For 7 wk, conventional fertilizers (CF) and FertiGroe sup R nanofertilizers (NF) were applied to the plantlets at graduated level of the recommended rate (RR). Vegetative growth was monitored weekly. At the end of the experiment, samples were collected for dry matter partitioning and leaf issue analysis. Fertilizer treatment significantly improved pseudostem growth and dry matter production of 'Saba' banana plantlets. Plantlets applied with neither conventional fertilizer (CF) nor nanofertilizer NF (control) produced significantly shorter and thinner pseudostem, and less dry matter compared to plantlets that were applied with NF or CF, regardless of the recommended rate (RR) used. Despite having significantly shorter and thinner pseudostem, plantlets applied with NF at 50% RR and 75% RR produced dry matter comparable to plantlets applied with CF at 75% RR and 100% RR by allocating more dry matter to the leaves. Foliar P concentration was not limiting to the plants and its nutrient concentration in the leaves did not vary significantly across the treatments. N uptake was highest in plantlets applied with NF at 75% RR (0.187 g) and CF at 75% RR (0.158 g), 100% RR (0.167) and 125% RR (0.173 g). K uptake was highest in plantlets that received NF at 50% RR (0.355 g) and 75% RR (0.358 g) and CF at 75% RR (0.353 g). Nutrient use efficiency of the plantlets was measured using apparent nutrient recovery. Apparent potassium recovery of the plantlets applied with NF was higher compared to that of plantlets applied with CF. The computed optimum RR for FertiGroe sup R N nanofertilizer was 23.5% lower than the computed optimum RR for CF. FertiGroe sup R N nannofertilizer can also increase apparent nitrogen recovery by 36.87% compared to CF.