MODEL TO ESTIMATE NUTRITIONAL AND NON-NUTRITIONAL LIMITATIONS OF 'PRATA-ANA' BANANA CROPS GROWN IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS

The obtaining of a high banana yield requires that nutrients are in adequate quantities and proportions in the plant. Therefore, the use of methods that encompass nutritional balance and equilibrium is required for a good nutritional evaluation. The objective of this work was to model and determine nutritional and non-nutritional limitations of 'Prata-Ana' banana grown in the states of Ceara (CE) and Bahia (BA), Brazil, based on nutritional balance and equilibrium. The study was developed using the databank of leaf nutrient contents and banana yields of two farms of the Sitio Barreiras company, in Missao Velha (CE) and Ponto Novo (BA), Brazil. The parcels with banana yield above the average plus 0.5 standard deviation; and parcels with banana yield below of that limit were defined as low-yield areas and were used for nutritional diagnosis. The databank was divided into four: the first with 253 samples and a reference population with banana yield above 39.81 Mg ha(-1) year the second with 553 samples and a low-yield population (Ceara); the third with 147 samples and a reference population with banana yield above 41.69 Mg ha(-1) year(-1); and the fourth with 334 samples and a low-yield population (Bahia). Yield limitations in the 'Prata-Ana' banana crops due to nutritional causes reached 13.37% in Ceara, and 12.17% in Bahia. Non-nutritional factors, such as climate and biotic factors, limited the banana crop yields by up to 28.23% in Ceara, and 50.49% in Bahia.

Automated summary

This study aimed to model and determine the nutritional and non-nutritional limitations of 'Prata-Ana' banana crops in Ceara and Bahia, Brazil, based on nutritional balance and equilibrium. Nutritional limitations accounted for 13.37% in Ceara and 12.17% in Bahia, while non-nutritional factors limited yields by up to 28.23% in Ceara and 50.49% in Bahia.