Potasio vía foliar: efectos en el llenado y producción en el cultivo de banano (musa x paradisíaca l.)

Abstract

The banana crop is the main agricultural product in generating foreign exchange in Ecuador, it is the livelihood of thousands of families that are dedicated to this work in small, medium, and big banana farms nationwide. The crop has faced potential biotic and abiotic dangers for its development according to its geographical location, currently, the most relevant phytosanitary problems of fungal origin are black leaf streak (Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet) and Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense). This work focuses on the complementary nutrition of the banana crop with the use of a source of potassium applied to the foliage, fertilization is a very important cultural task because when applied it can cover deficiencies of microelements and macroelements that will be incorporated quickly as they enter through the stomata of plants and through submicroscopic spaces called ectodesmos (IPNI, nd). The experimental design was randomized blocks with three treatments and 10 repetitions, the treatments were: T1H10 (foliar fertilization with 10 leaves at flowering), T2H8 (foliar fertilization with 8 leaves at flowering), and T3FC (control treatment under management field). The variables analyzed were: a week at harvest (SC), number of leaves at harvest (NHC), bunch weight (PRC), rachis weight (PRQ), ratio (RATIO), number of hands (NM), grade Sun Hand (GMS), Last Hand Grade (GUM), Almond Consistency (CA), Last Hand Finger Inches (PDUM). The results obtained were better in T2H8, the variables with the greatest commercial impact such as bunch weight, rachis weight, ratio, and a number of hands were higher with values ​​of 47,8 lb and 6,3 lb respectively, the ratio was 0,96 and 6,1 hands as average values, while the T1H10 presented a bunch and rachis weight of 37,06 lb and 5,61 lb respectively, the T3FC had a bunch weight of 34,52 lb and for rachis, it was 4,58 lb, the variable number of hands did not present a difference between T1H10 and T3FC was 5,4 hands, the ratio variable showed 0,73 for T1H10 and 0,69 for T3FC. The variables for a degree of the hand of the sun and last hand do not present a difference since at the time of cutting the fruit it must have a homogeneous calibration according to the requirements of the buyer. It is concluded that these results are the product of proper defoliation management, in T2H8 at the time of calving the plant is left with 8 fully functional leaves while in T1H10 at flowering time 10 leaves are left, of which two are not 100 % functional and generates an expenditure of extra nutrients that the plant uses to maintain them instead of taking everything to the development of the fruit. It is recommended that at the time of flowering 8 functional leaves are left and that the foliar application of potassium fertilizer is carried out to complement and correct nutritional deficiencies that improve the filling of the fruit and higher productivity.