Partitioning of macronutrients and nutritional efficiency in fertigated prata banana

Abstract Adequate nutritional management of any plant species requires quantifying the nutrients accumulated in the plant and knowing their allocation in the different organs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the partitioning, accumulation, export of macronutrients and the nutritional efficiency of fertigated Prata banana plants. A historical survey of annual fruit productivity was conducted in 66 plots of Prata banana, selecting four that met the annual productivity classes (< 30.0; 30.0 = 37.5; 37.5 = 45.0 and > 45.0 t ha-1). The dry matter weights of the different organs of parent plant and follower, as well as the respective contents of macronutrients, were used to estimate the accumulation, partitioning, export, sequence of accumulation of macronutrients and nutritional efficiency using the coefficient of biological utilization (CBU). The partitioning of macronutrient accumulation varied with productivity class and plant organ. The average distribution of nutrients in the parent plant and in the follower ranged from 67.5 to 82.8 % and from 17.2 to 32.5 %, respectively. Macronutrient exports per ton of bunch were 4.334, 1.660, 0.361, 0.224, 0.148 and 0.119 kg t-1 for K, N, P, Mg, S and Ca, respectively. Banana mats have a nutrient partitioning pattern for different yields, that is, this work provides evidence that there is an “ideal compartmentalization” that promotes higher productivity; however, more research is needed to support this statement. The most exported nutrients per ton of bunch were K and N. The descending order of accumulation was: K > N > Ca > Mg > P > S. It was observed that the CBUs of N and P were less sensitive to productivity variations, while those of Ca and Mg were the most sensitive.