Abstract

CASANOVA O, Eduardo  and  RIVERO, Carmen. Effect of alternative fertilizer sources with fertirrigation on mineral nutrition and yield of bananas in a farm in Aragua state, Venezuela. Agronomía Trop. [online]. 2006, vol.56, n.3, pp.325-344. ISSN 0002-192X.

In this paper an agronomic evaluation of potassium thiosulphate (TSK) and ammonium thiosulphate (TSA) applications during 2 consecutive years on bananas Musa paradisiaca L., production, in Aragua State, Venezuela is presented. The experimental area was 1.7 ha using the banana variety Giant Cavendish (Musa sp. (L.) AAA) in an equivalent plant density of 2.100 plants ha^-1. Soil presented high contents of available P (76 mg kg^-1), medium of available K (139 mg kg^-1), pH: 7.5, 2.1% organic matter, and loam texture. Four treatments where applied: granulated ammonium sulphate SA (21-0-0-24S), liquid TSA (12-0-0- 26S), liquid TSK (0-0-25-17S) and the farmer´s usual management PROD (urea, 12-12-17-2Mg and liquid humus). The rates of N, P, K were 150, 20 and 250 kg ha^-1 when applied as solid fertilizers. The rates of TSA or TSK applied were 150 l ha^-1 using the irrigation system. Results indicated that TSK produced 10 days of earlier flowering, higher stem perimeter (58 cm), the best N concentration in leaf (2.8%), adequate levels of K concentration in leaf (3.1%), and higher fruits/hand (26), hands/bunch (12), bunch weight (41 kg), and yields (86 t ha^-1) than the farmer´s treatment. Efficiecy parameters measured indicated that TSK produced 163 kg of fruits / kg of fertilizer applied and 56 Bs / Bs of fertilizer applied compared to 98 kg fruit/kg fertilizer applied and 31 Bs / Bs of fertilizer applied obtained with the farmer´s treatment (PROD).

Keywords : Banana; Musa paradisiaca L; fertirrigation; ammonium thiosulphate; potassium thiosulphate; Aragua; Venezuela.