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| Author: | K. Sommer |
| Keywords: | blocked nutrient systems, adapted fertiliser management |
Abstract:
On request of the IAEA, Vienna, in 1976/77 in banana plantations of Costa Rica the reasons for very low efficiencies of fertilisers were investigated.
For visitors the areas of banana plantations and the uniformity of the landscape in the area of Guapilis of Costa Rica are very impressive.
But to people who are familiar with banana production, this impression quite soon looses its fascination.
The reason for this is that for every banana plant, a maturing bunch is kept standing by tree bamboo sticks or nylon cords.
To grow these sticks, special farms are developed.
Trailers of bamboo stems are delivered to the banana plantations.
In spite of all these efforts it is calculated that about 20 to 30 % of the banana trees with maturing bunches are lost by breaking in the root area or on the stem of the plant before harvest.
Additional losses of about 20 % arise by low qualities of the bananas for export in these plantations.
In the view of local extension workers, these problems are derived from climatic conditions, plant diseases or soil acidity.
But according to own investigations none of these factors is of major importance.
Disorders in the mineralisation of plant residues are responsible for the production of phytotoxic compounds by soil micro-organisms, resulting in root rotting of the banana trees, the fixation of applied phosphate fertilisers in blocked nutrient systems and the leaching of fertilisers for the roots for uptake are missing.
Even soil organisms suffer from absolute nutrient deficiencies.
Banana production is adversely affected by a number of nutritional disorders.
From our investigations these disorders were discovered and recommendations worked out to open the blocked nutrient systems by an adapted fertiliser management.
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