Soil and Plant Reference Norms for Evaluating Horn Plantain Nutritional Status

Abstract

The objective of this work was to calibrate, classify, and establish soil and plant reference norms for evaluating the nutritional status of the Horn plantain crop (Musa AAB, subgroup plantain cv. Horn). The sampling unit consisted of the “mother” plant and its corresponding soil at the fertilization band. Soil samples at depths of 0–20 cm and 21–40 cm were analyzed. A total of 221 sampling units were studied, hence, 442 soil and 221 leaf samples were used to develop the reference norms. A regression model with linear combinations of the soil and leaf variables for yield estimation was established by using the stepwise method. The model showed a high significant adjustment of 52% (R²) with normality of the standard residues. Four yield subclasses in kg cluster⁻¹ as 10.9–13.9 (60 units), 14.0–17.9 (92 units), 18.0–19.9 (47 units), and 20 or more (17 units) were defined. With the means of the soil and leaf data linearly related with yield, the reference norms for each subclass were developed. The method thereby established permits to develop reference norms that can be used for the simultaneous interpretation of soil and leaf analysis data and for yield estimation of the Horn plantain crop.

Keywords:

• Calibration
• DRIS
• multivariate analysis
• Musa AAB
• platano harton
• ratios

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to the Venezuelan Fondo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (FONACIT), to the Consejo de Desarrollo Científico, Humanistico y Tecnológico (CDCHT–UCLA), project 012‐AG 2001, and to the Sistema de Promoción al Investigador (SPI) of Venezuela for supporting the research activities of the first author.