Influence of high planting densities and arrangements on yield and fruit development of Musa AAA Simmonds

Abstract

Banana is one of the most abundantly consumed fruits in the world for its contribution to human nutrition, including an important content of potassium.  Given the social contribution of this crop in the cropping areas of Colombia, it is necessary to develop agronomic management strategies that contribute to increasing productivity and offering alternatives that regulate the effects of climate seasonality on banana production in the Urabá region of Colombia.  For this purpose, different planting densities (2,000, 2,500, 3,000 and 3,500 plants ha-1) and planting arrangements (triangle, rectangle and double furrow), plus a relative control (1,700 plants ha-1 under triangle arrangement), were evaluated in the banana cv. Williams.  The experimental design corresponded to randomized complete blocks in a 4 x 3 + 1 (densities x arrangements + control treatment at 1,700 plants ha-1) factorial arrangement.  During harvest, the following parameters were monitored:  bunch weight, number of hands and fingers per bunch, finger length and diameter, bunch ratio and percentage of loss per bunch.  Two analyses of variance were carried out, a general one including the control treatment, and an additional one excluding it. The double furrow planting arrangement favored the productivity of the crop in terms of a greater assimilation and lesser loss records at the bunch level.  The strong correlation of the studied variables with the double furrow arrangement became evident.