ENHANCING GROWTH AND YIELD OF 'LAKATAN' BANANA (Musa acuminata) USING FISH AMINO ACID (FAA) APPLICATION

Abstract

The study was conducted at the 'Lakatan' banana site of USeP Mabini Campus, Mabini Unit, Pindasan, Mabini, Compostela Valley Province. This aimed to determine the effect of Fish Amino Acid on the yield and quality of 'Lakatan' bananas and evaluate the economic benefit of using Fish Amino Acid (FAA) on 'Lakatan' banana production. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments replicated four times. The treatments were T1-Control; T2–Recommended Rate of NPK alone; T3–Fish Amino Acid alone; T4–Recommended Rate of NPK + Fish Amino Acid (FAA); T5–Greenshield Organic-Based Fortified Foliar Fertilizer. Data showed that the number of leaves at 35 days after application, and number of fingers per hand at 35 DAA, and number of hands per bunch after 35 DAA were not significantly affected by the application of Fish Amino Acid (FAA). While the plant height, pseudostem girth (cm), finger length (cm), fruit weight of total hands per bunch (kg) at 35 days after application have significant differences among treatments. As observed, all 'Lakatan' bananas have a range of 261cm–312cm height, 43cm–58cm girth, and 4–6 hands per bunch, 14–17 fingers per hand, 19cm–21cm finger length after 35 days of fertilizer application. The results also revealed that T3–Fish Amino Acid got the highest number of leaves, while T4 – NPK+Fish Amino Acid got the highest number of finger per hand, highest finger length, fruit weight (kg) of total hands per bunch which was 61% higher than the unfertilized and got the highest yield. T4–NPK+Fish Amino Acid increased the gross income of 'Lakatan' bananas that would potentially obtain the highest income and return of investment when the costs of NPK and FAA supplementation is lessened.