Doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium recommended by Ferticalc^®-Bananeira and fertilizer recommendation tables

Abstract

The fertilization for the banana plant cropping in Brazil has been recommended by tables that show restrictions in their constitution. Therefore, the development of broader methods for fertilizer recommendation is needed. This study was carried out to compare the doses of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O recommended by FERTICALC^®-Bananeira and by two main recommendation tables for fertilization of the banana cropping in the country. The recommendations by FERTICALC^®-Bananeira were compared with those organized by IPA (Pernambuco State) and by Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura (Embrapa). The analytical results of thirty soil samples with wide variation of both chemical and physical characteristics were used, besides considering several values for the expected productivity. The doses of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O recommended by FERTICALC^®-Bananeira are most closely related to the cycle of the banana plant production, expected productivity and availability of P and K in the soil samples, as compared to the tables by IPA and Embrapa.