Abstract
Abstract Soil fertility and nutritional imbalance are among the main limitations in banana production. The present study aimed to diagnose soil fertility and nutrition of bananas trees cultivated in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Leaf and soil samples were collected, and banana yield was quantified in 2018 and 2019 in 53 orchards in the regions of ‘Vale do Itajaí’ and northern coast of Santa Catarina. Although orchards had satisfactory yield (42 t /ha/year), limitations related to soil fertility and banana crop nutrition were evident. The observed yield is 59.6 % of its full potential. Liming is still recurrent, mainly before orchard establishment. Fertilizer application is widespread, but in many cases, doses are overestimated. Ca, Zn, Cu, and B contents increased in leaves emitted in periods of higher soil water availability and higher temperatures. The results highlight the influence of weather conditions on the supply of these nutrients to banana plants. Nutritional factors are the main limiting factors in banana production in the state of Santa Catarina, compared to non-nutritional factors.
Highlights
Brazil is the world’s fourth largest banana producer and fifth in harvested area, and in 2018, production reached 6.75 million tons (FAOSTAT, 2020). This result demonstrates its great international importance, highlighting the country as food producer and in food security. This prominent position is due to investment actions that the sector has received in recent decades, mainly related to the availability of genetic material, technologies in the production of quality seedlings, better cultural management practices before and after harvest, integrated pest, disease and weed management, adoption of irrigation and fertigation technologies, and improvement of the technical and organizational level of Brazilian banana growers (LICHTEMBERG; LICHTEMBERG, 2011)
Despite advances related to this sector, banana productivity has stagnated in Brazil over the last 50 years, with average productivity close to 15 t ha-1 (DEUS et al, 2020)
The study was carried out in commercial banana orchards (Cavendish subgroup) that represent the conditions and management used by banana growers in Santa Catarina
Summary
Brazil is the world’s fourth largest banana producer and fifth in harvested area, and in 2018, production reached 6.75 million tons (FAOSTAT, 2020). This result demonstrates its great international importance, highlighting the country as food producer and in food security. This prominent position is due to investment actions that the sector has received in recent decades, mainly related to the availability of genetic material, technologies in the production of quality seedlings, better cultural management practices before and after harvest, integrated pest, disease and weed management, adoption of irrigation and fertigation technologies, and improvement of the technical and organizational level of Brazilian banana growers (LICHTEMBERG; LICHTEMBERG, 2011). Productivity of 28.8 t ha-1 in Santa Catarina (predominantly from the Cavendish subgroup) is higher than the national average, the performance of banana cultivation in Santa Catarina is considered low, since the productive potential of these cultivars is much higher than that currently achieved
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