Resumo

LABARCA, M et al. Evaluation of fertilizer location in the Horn plantain (Musa AAB) mother´s pseudostem after harvesting on growth and production variables. Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2005, vol.22, n.4, pp.416-428. ISSN 0378-7818.

In order to compare the fertilizer location form through the mother's pseudostem after harvesting with soil fertilizer application, from 1998 to 2000 an experiment was carried out in Francisco Javier Pulgar municipality, Zulia state. To this effect were used three kinds of fertilizers (urea, potassium chloride and urea-potassium chloride combination), placed at three height levels, two in the mother plant after harvesting (at 0.75 m and at 1 m tall) and another on the soil. An additional treatment was included; it was based on the farm's fertilization. The statistical design was a 3²+1 factorial arrangement in randomized blocks with four replications and ten treatments. The highest values, both for the growing, production as well as for the relative economic index (REI), were obtained with the application of urea-potassium chloride combination in the mother's pseudostem at 0.75 m tall (T7). For the production variable bunch weight, the maximum value was 15.23 kg similar to the values obtained with the application of the combination at 1 m tall in the mother's pseudostem (T8) and the application of 150 gr of potassium chloride in the mother's pseudostem at 0.75 m tall (T4). In the same way this treatment produced the highest value of the REI (2,185.22 Bs plant^-1). These results allow recommending this fertilizer practice to plantain producers, in order to get a better fertilizer efficiency use for the plant.

Palavras-chave : Musa (AAB); Horn; fertilizer; location; pseudostem.