Development of banana (Musa AAA) under different doses of biochar and chemical fertilizers

Abstract

The main objective of the research was to evaluate the application of different doses of biochar as organic fertilizer to a banana (Musa AAA) crop. The biochar was derived from cocoa pod husks (CPH-B) and banana stalk (BC) and applied to banana plants between 130 and 140 cm tall. The treatments included doses of 32 kg ha-1 (T1) and 48 kg ha-1 (T2) of CPH-B, 32 kg ha-1 (T3) and 48 kg ha-1 (T4) of BC. In all experiments, 100 kg ha-1 potassium nitrate and 100 kg ha-1 phosphorus (P2O5) were applied. Significant differences (p≤0.05) were found in root weight, height and pseudostem circumference at T4. Bunch weights ranged from 16.44 kg (T2) to 21.10 kg (T4). The number of clusters per bunch increased from 6.6 (T1) to 8.5 (T2), with significant differences. Treatments T2 and T4 positively affected plant growth compared to the control plot, suggesting they could be used as an alternative in fertilization programs. Keywords: banana stalk; cocoa pod husk; nutrients