Use of composite sample of vegetable tissue for evaluation of contents of macronutrients in banana plant

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the use of composite sample of vegetable tissue to evaluate the contents of macronutrients in several organs of the banana plant, in comparison to conventional method (simple sample). Samples were taken from four banana clumps cv. Gross  Michel, separating the plants in “mother-plant” and “daughter-plant. The “mother-plant” was divided into rhizome, pseudostem, petiole, leaf lamina, stalk and fruits and the “daughter-plant” into rhizome, pseudostem, petiole and leaf lamina. A sample of these parts was taken to determine the mass of the dry matter and the content of the macronutrients. From the dry matter of each part of the plant, sub-samples were taken to prepare composite samples which were subjected to same determinations. The chemical analysis of only one composite sample of dry matter of different parts of banana plant is enough to estimate the mean contents of macronutrients in a larger part of plant or in whole plant, as the contents of evaluated nutrients from simple sample (conventional method) were similar to those obtained utilizing composite samples (alternative method).