EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF ‘PRATA COMUM’ BANANA FRUITS

Juliana Domingues Lima,Eduardo Nardini Gomes,Silvia Helena Modenese Gorla Da Silva,Wilson Da Silva Moraes,Danilo Eduardo Rozane,Jéssica Andrade Florencio

doi:10.1590/0100-29452017983

Juliana Domingues Lima, Eduardo Nardini Gomes + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-29452017983

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Abstract

ABSTRACT With the advent of black sigatoka in commercial banana crops in the “Vale do Ribeira” region, state of São Paulo, the monitoring the severity and chemical control of the disease in susceptible varieties have become more frequent in order to avoid leaf loss. This study simulated the effect of defoliation caused by the disease on the yield and quality of ‘Prata Comum’ banana fruits, depending on the formation period and fruit position in the bunch. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 x11 factorial scheme (period of bunch formation x number of leaves at flowering), 6-16 leaves at flowering in two periods of bunch formation with six replicates. In Period 1, flowering occurred at 04/15/13 and in Period 2 at 01/07/14, although in Period 1, bunch mass was higher and in Period 2, higher average maximum and minimum daily temperatures, precipitation and radiation were observed. Regardless of formation period, the number of leaves at flowering affected bunch mass, which ranged from 18 to 23 kg plant-1. Defoliation affected the size of fruits of hand 1 and last hand of the bunch, but not the variability in fruit size due to the position the fruit occupies in the bunch and physicochemical characteristics.

Highlights

In the southern coast of São Paulo, the “Vale do Ribeira” region has the largest planted area (36,000 ha) and banana production in the country (828,593 tons) (AGRIANUAL, 2016), with fruits of ‘Prata’ subgroup accounting for about 30% of the volume produced
With the advent of black Sigatoka in 2004 in the region caused by fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet, severe foliar disease affecting photosynthesis, an intensification of management practices in susceptible varieties, such as the ‘Prata Comum’ cultivar
The chemical control of black Sigatoka was performed based on the weekly monitoring of disease severity based on the method described by Fourè (1988), adjusted by Moraes et al (2005)

Summary

Introduction

In the southern coast of São Paulo, the “Vale do Ribeira” region has the largest planted area (36,000 ha) and banana production in the country (828,593 tons) (AGRIANUAL, 2016), with fruits of ‘Prata’ subgroup accounting for about 30% of the volume produced. Studies carried out in several regions of the world have shown the need for at least 7 (RAMÍREZ et al, 2008), 7 to 9 (VARGAS et al, 2009) and up to 12 (GONZÁLEZ et al, 2012) functional and healthy leaves at the time of flowering for the adequate filling of fruits in bunches of Cavendish banana trees. According to the most recent study, for ‘Prata ‘ subgroup, 10 to 12 functional leaves are required in flowering to guarantee crop production (RODRIGUES et al, 2009)

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