Agronomic and productive performance of banana genotypes of plantain subgroup resistant to Black Sigatoka disease in the edaphoclimatic conditions of Vale do Ribeira, SP

Abstract

The plantains, also known as cooking bananas belongs to the subgroup Plantain and presents as main differences when compared to the other subgroups, a large-fruited and with a high starch content, being it eaten boiled, fried or roasted. This banana type is marketed with prices higher than those practiced for the bananas from the subgroup Lady Finger banana, which is why there is a great interest in the cultivation of this banana type. The bananas of this subgroup are susceptible to Black Sigatoka disease, reasonably resistant to the Yellow Sigatoka, tolerant to Panama Fusariose, moderately harmed by the nematoids and highly attacked by the rhizome-borer, so their bananas are short-lived, where it is usually harvested the mother plant with good production, the daughter plant with medium production and the grandson plant produces little. Despite the efforts made to genetical enhancement of bananas and plantains from the natural germplasm selected by man, Brazil is little dedicated to plantains. Therefore, the objective of this study will be to evaluate the agronomic and productive performance of banana genotypes of the subgroup Plantain in the soil and climatic conditions of the Vale do Ribeira, SP. For such, the experiment will be implemented at the experimental farm of the Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, APTA Regional Vale do Ribeira, located in the municipality of Pariquera-Açu, SP, Brazil, where twelve banana genotypes introduced from Africa will be evaluated in the breeding program of EMBRAPA. The evaluated genotypes will be: PITA 01, PITA 02, PITA 04, PITA 05, PITA 17, PITA 21, PITA 22, PITA 23, PITA 24, PITA 25, PITA 26 e PITA 27. The design will be in randomized blocks, with twelve treatments (cultivars) and three repetitions. For all treatments will be used the same system of pest and disease control management, banana management and fertilization. Plant height, pseudostem diameter, number of leaves, number of daughter plants and plant cycles of the 1st crop; the production will be measured in the harvest of the first crop by determination of fresh mass, number of leaves, total number of fruits, fresh mass and number of fruits of the 2nd bunch, length and fruits diameter.