The influence of selection time of suckers on the development of plant matrix in banana (Musa cavendish L. Nanicao)

Abstract

Th objective of this study was to determine the effects of selection time suckers on the growth and production of banana matrix plant (Musa cavendishii Lamb) cv, Nanicão. The trial was carried out at the Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Piracicaba (SP) Brazil, from September, 19, 1971, to January 31, 1973. A randomized blocks design was used with five treatments and five replications The treatments were as folows: 1. Matrix plant whitout suckers; 2. Matrix plant with January sucker; 3. Matrix plant with March sucker; 4. Matrix plant with may sucker; and 5. Control matrix plant with all suckers. The results of study were: a. Matrix plant with May sucker incresead the time from planting to flowering as compared with January sucker, no sucker, and March sucker; control matrix plant with all suckers delayed flowering time as compared with matrix plant witch March sucker. b. The pseudostem circunference at flowering time were similar in all treatments except treatment with January sucker and control matrix plant with all suckers; these treatments have resulted in a markerd reduction in circunference of pseudostem at flowering time. c. Production cycle periods were similar for treatments no sucker, January and May sucker; the production cycle was smaller with March sucker and larger in control matrix plant with all suckers. d. The number of leaves in harvesting time was highest in May sucker as compared with January sucker and control matrix plant with all suckers; the treatments no sucker and March sucker had highest number of leaves as compared control matrix plant with all suckers. e. Control matrix plant with all suckers had lower average bunch weight as compared with treatments with no sucker, March and May sucker. f. These was no significance diference on pseudostem circunference at flowering and harvesting time, "hands" and "finger" number per bunch.