Index:

1. The effect of soil-applied Multi-K on Banana yield
2. Foliar application
3. The effect of foliar sprays with Multi-K™ on banana yield
4. Fertilizing recommendations of banana crop in Colombia
5. Fertilizing recommendations of banana crop in Canary Islands
6. Fertilizing recommendations of banana crop in South Africa

 

 

For many years, wherever banana crop is grown, growers acquired experience fertilizing with Haifa products. Methods of application vary from country to country while advantages of using Haifa fertilizers are always beneficial.  Some of experimental results and field trials are shown in the following tables. 

 

Soil application

 

Table 15: The effect of soil-applied Multi-K on Banana yield (Lahav, 1973)

Multi-K™ applied (kg/ha/year)	Mean bunch weight (kg)	No. of Bunches (per ha)	Yield (MT/ha/year)
0	23.3	1650	37.2
500	26.2	1910	47.2
1000	27.2	2000	50.5
2000	26.4	2140	51.5

 

 

Figure 41 a-b: Effect of different potassic fertilizers on banana yield (Guerrero and Gadban, 1996)

 

 

Foliar application

Figure 42: Effect of foliar feeding with Multi-K on banana plants (Gran Enno)(Guerrero & Gadban, 1992)

 

 

Table 16: The effect of foliar sprays with Multi-K™ on banana yield (Guerrero & Gadban, 1992)

Treatment* (4 Sprays @ 2%)	Bunch Weight (kg)	Hands/Bunch	Fingers/Hand 2nd basal	Cost/Benefit ratio
Not sprayed	35.9	9.9	23.10	--
Multi-K™ sprayed	37.9	10.5	23.25	13.5

* Soil application: 400 kg N + 600 kg K₂O ha / year

 

 

(Guerrero & Gadban, 1992)

	Nutrient Content in Leaves (%)
	N	P	K	Ca	Mg
Not sprayed	1.38	0.10	2.15	0.45	0.21
4 sprays @ 30 days intervals	2.02	0.12	2.85	0.65	0.31
6 sprays @ 30 days intervals	1.86	0.11	3.2	0.95	0.28

 

 

Figure 43: Effect of foliar sprays with Multi-K^™ on K content in leaves(Aerial application of 2 kg Multi-K_^™ in 20 L solution (10%) per ha, 2 weeks interval between applications)

 

Growers who successfully adopted fertigation systems used Multi-K^™ potassium nitrate in combination with other water-soluble fertilizers:

 

1. Santa Maria, Colombia - tropical conditions. Plant density: 1200-1800 mat/ha Expected yield: 45-60 MT/ha

 

Table 18: Fertilizing recommendations of banana crop in Colombia

Nutrient requirements (kg/ha)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha)
N	P205	K2O	Urea	MAP	Multi-K®
550	-	750	740	-	1630

* In addition to 2 MT/ha/Year of manure.

(Source: Guerrero and Gadban, 1993)

 

 

2. Canary Islands - subtropical conditions

Plant density: 2000mat /ha

Expected yield: 45-60 MT/ha

 

Table 19: Fertilizing recommendations of banana crop in Canary Islands

Season	Nutrient requirements (kg/ha)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha)
	N	P2O5	K2O	AS**	Haifa MAP™	Multi-K™
Spring* (Feb. – Jul.)	200	85	260	495	140	565
Autumn (Aug.- Jan.)	200	52	304	460	85	660

*Additionally, during springtime, once a week: 
15 kg/ha - Calcium nitrate + 8 Lit/ha Nitric Acid (60% w/w). 
**AS = Ammonium sulfate, 20-0-0

 

 

3. South Africa - subtropical conditions

Table 20: Fertilizing recommendations of banana crop in South Africa

Nutrient requirements (kg/ha)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha)*
N	P2O5	K2O	AN	MAP	Multi-K™
185 - 250	--	655 - 850	-	-	1424 - 1880

* 19 applications of 45 glmat Multi-K, every two weeks (August through April).

(Source: Smith, 1991)

Need more information about growing bananas? You can always return to the banana crop guide table of contents & banana fertilizer

 

Related Articles:

NPK Fertilizers - Water Soluble Fertilizers

Informations about Plant Nutrition

Read more about Foliar Feeding

Informations about Potassium Nitrate Fertilizers