Bananas
Growing bananas presents many challenges such as chill (arrepollamiento in Spanish) or water stress (water logging), nutrient deficiencies leading to disorders such as maturity stain, and pest and disease pressure. Acadian Plant Health™ (APH™) seaweed extract can help your banana plants become stronger and better able to withstand abiotic stresses.
BENEFITS FOR BANANAS INCLUDE:
- Improved tolerance to cold stress (arrepollamiento)
- Decreased physiological disorders such as maturity stain
- Enhanced abiotic stress tolerance
- Increased nutrient uptake
- Improved root growth
- Higher crop yield
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN, FIELD-TESTED SOLUTIONS
IMPROVED TOLERANCE TO CHILL STRESS (ARREPOLLAMIENTO)
BANANA FIELD TRIAL ‘VALERY’
GUAYAS, ECUADOR
These measurements of leaf emergence (foliar emission) rate in banana plants were taken during a period of cold weather and reduced amount of sunlight. Plants treated with APH™ seaweed extract grew faster; the weekly leaf emergence of the treated plants was increased by 18%. This indicates quicker leaf formation and thus a potential for an earlier formation of the bunch.
IMPROVED ROOT DEVELOPMENT
BANANA FIELD TRIAL ‘MUSA SPP’
GUAYAS, ECUADOR
Banana plants are known for their poor root growth, especially a poor root hair growth. When the percentage of live roots in bananas (mother plants) was evaluated in this trial, the addition of APH™ seaweed extract to the standard program increased the percentage of live, functioning roots almost two-fold.
BANANA FIELD TRIAL
URABÁ, COLOMBIA
At the time of this evaluation, the suckers were approximately 1.5 to 1.8 meters tall. The roots of suckers from treated trees had a larger percentage of functioning roots. This indicates stronger shoots with better potential for growth.
IMPROVED DROUGHT TOLERANCE
BANANA FIELD TRIAL ‘GRAND NAIN’
URABÁ, COLOMBIA
Maturity stain (bronzing) in bananas.
Physiological disorders in banana are related to water stress and banana plants’ high demand for micronutrients in the stage of floral differentiation. A disorder called maturity stain (bronzing) is caused by water stress that reduces transport of calcium (Ca) and boron (B); this in turn influences the ratio between magnesium (Mg) and boron.
In this trial, the percentage of maturity stain at harvests during times of water stress was significantly reduced by adding APH™ seaweed extract to the standard program. Other physiological disorders, such as conjoined or deformed fruit, were also significantly reduced.
INCREASED YIELD
Together, root growth, nutrient uptake and stress tolerance help the banana plants realize their maximum yield potential. Additional applications during flowering stage and fruit growth produce better yield results.
BANANA FIELD TRIAL ‘MUSA SPP’
URABÁ, COLOMBIA
Using APH™ seaweed extract increased the number of hands per plant and the weight of the banana bunch.
BANANA FIELD TRIAL ‘VALERY’
GUAYAS, ECUADOR
In this trial, the addition of APH™ seaweed extract to the standard grower program (Control) resulted in a statistically significant increase in average number of hands per plant as well as in average bunch weight. In addition, the weight of the stripped rachis was lower for treated plants. This indicates further increase in the weight of the fruit. All these improvements mean an increase in banana yield and grower return.