Vegetative growth response of banana (Musa acuminata cv. Berangan) to foliar fertilizer application.

Accumulation of inorganic sources of granular fertilizer in soil may lead to environmental degradation with harmful effects to the surrounding and human. Foliar fertilizer potentially can be the appropriate alternative to reduce usage of inorganic granular fertilizer. This study focuses on establishing the rate and frequency of foliar fertilizer application for banana cultivation at vegetative stage. The results show the maximum pseudostem height, pseudostem girth and leaf area achieved on the 16th week of planting after being treated with the rate of 1 ml/L of foliar fertilizer are 59.87 cm, 20.53 cm and 1718.28 cm2 respectively. On the 16th week of planting, banana plant applied with a single application of fertilizer per month shows the pseudostem height, pseudostem girth and leaf area are 114.65 cm, 45.74 cm, 4077.2 cm2 respectively. A logistic growth model was used to predict response in banana plant‟s growth at the vegetative stage from 16th week to 24th week of planting (early reproductive stage) as a function of the rate and frequency of foliar fertilizer application. Results indicate that banana plant applied with foliar fertilizer at rate 1 ml/L and frequency of single monthly application follows the logistic growth curve with R2 ranging 0.92-0.99. The predicted maximum pseudostem height, pseudostem girth and leaf area at the 24th week of planting for the rate of 1ml/L are 59.3cm, 19.91cm and 1785.17 cm2 respectively. Meanwhile, the predicted maximum pseudostem height, pseudostem girth and leaf area at the 24th week of planting for single monthly foliar fertilizer application are 139.09 cm, 60.79 cm and 5976.52 cm2 respectively. These growth performances are below the optimum growth due to the drought season and insufficient water that have inhibited their growth. Logistic growth model for vegetative growth response from this study can be adopted for foliar fertilizer management practices with options to vary the rate or frequency of application.