Optimization of banana plantlets acclimatization by hydroponic cultivation

Abstract

Acclimatization is the final phase of banana plantlet production by micropropagation.In this phase, the plantlets are grown in a protected environment with high demand for water, fertilizer and labor, until reaching the standard size and quality required for marketing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of reducing these costs and the duration of the acclimatization phase, using the hydroponic cultivation technique as compared to the conventional system. 'Prata-Anã' banana plantlet performance was measured for both systems under both tropical summer and winter conditions, based upon water and nutrient use efficiency and growing time of the plantlets. In both seasons, the plantlets produced hydroponically presented faster growth of both the shoot and root systems. There was a reduction of 12 days to reach the transplantation point, a significant reduction in plantlet production cost (fertilizers + water) and improved efficiency in space use with an expressive increase in the number of plantlets produced per square meter.

Recirculation intervals of nutrient solution in hydroponic acclimatization of banana seedlings

“…Thus, the use of a longer interval of recirculation of nutrient solution in the first days of acclimatization of seedlings can be a viable strategy, because no significant difference in plant height and leaf area was found at 15 and 20 DAT. Toyosumi et al (2020) found significant differences between conventional and hydroponic systems for the acclimatization process of banana seedlings only after 20 days, with evaluations carried out every 5 days.…”

“…Then, the treatments were applied. The experiment was conducted as described by Toyosumi et al (2020), using the nutrient film technique (NFT) adapted with the method of capillary action (Sardare & Admane, 2013).…”

“…The results of using hydroponics in banana crops are incipient. Toyosumi et al (2020) used an adapted NFT system with 15-min recirculation interval and found that the acclimatization of micro-propagated seedlings of Prata-Ana banana through this system is technically viable. They also found that the use of hydroponics improves plant growth, promoting reduction in the number of days for seedlings to reach the commercial point and, consequently, a decrease in seedling production costs (fertilizer and water) by 57.6%, in addition to enabling an increase in the number of cycles and the number of seedlings produced per year by 65.6% when compared to conventional acclimatization.…”