View Full Version : Article on banana fertilization and nutrient deficiencies
caliboy1994
11-29-2012, 11:10 PM
I came across this on Google. It has pictures and descriptions of nutrient deficiencies in bananas, as well as fertilization recommendations. It's really good for reference.
http://www.haifa-group.com/files/guides/banana.pdf
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 01:24 AM
Thanks! That's going to come in handy. Actually it might already be useful b/c I think I might have some macronutrient problems (no big surprise being FL). I've relied heavily on composted manure so far as you can see at the base of the plant. The article really helps to identify the symptoms of each deficiency. That's one reason why I don't want to grow any rare cultivars yet... until I get some of the soil issues sorted.
This is a recent pic of my DC. You can see the yellow and necrotic stripe to midrib, although it is basically at the leaf tip. Reference page 18, fig. 13 of article.. "severe potassium deficiency". It surprises me a little bit b/c I also use some granular and liquid ferts regularly. The leaf just above that is showing signs of yellow around the edges as well. I thought maybe this was due to the seasonal change, but now I'm wondering. Thoughts?
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51488 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51487)
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:34224.1.99999&bannertypeclick=wu_bluestripes"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/banner/ban/wxBanner?bannertype=wu_bluestripes&airportcode=KVNC&ForcedCity=Englewood&ForcedState=FL" alt="Click for Englewood, Florida Forecast" height="90" width="160" /></a>
caliboy1994
11-30-2012, 02:31 AM
It's difficult for me to tell. The leaves are all bunched up at the top. That could also be a symptom of a deficiency, or it could be a sign that the plant is almost ready to flower. That's a lot of bunching though, and it doesn't look like something I'd expect to see in a healthy plant. You'd know for sure if you have potassium deficiency if the end of the leaf turns brown and starts curling inward.
Yuri Barros
11-30-2012, 05:07 AM
Very intresting..................I was reading about it.................
It was released here in Brazil last Year..............
CIFlorestas>>Notícia>>Haifa South America lança linha de fertilizantes na Feira Florestal Brasileira (http://www.ciflorestas.com.br/conteudo.php?id=5029)
I will try to find a place to buy it...................
I would like to try it...................
Thanks for this thread.....................
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 10:40 AM
The photo above was last week... here is the same leaf today. I think I would classify that as curling. I did think that maybe it was going to bloom b/c of the bunching, but there hasn't been any sign of it and that plant has only been in the ground for about 8 months.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51502&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51502)
I have provided the plant with plenty of nutrient, actually I thought maybe I might be over fertilizing.. but I have laid off a bit as not to push the plant too hard during the cooler weather and possible frosts. If it is a deficiency the issue could be that the nutrients have not been available to the plant. The CEC of the soil might be the problem, even though I did amend it with a lot of organic matter.
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:34224.1.99999&bannertypeclick=wu_bluestripes"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/banner/ban/wxBanner?bannertype=wu_bluestripes&airportcode=KVNC&ForcedCity=Englewood&ForcedState=FL" alt="Click for Englewood, Florida Forecast" height="90" width="160" /></a>
edzone9
11-30-2012, 12:07 PM
Great Read Thank You !
caliboy1994
11-30-2012, 12:49 PM
The photo above was last week... here is the same leaf today. I think I would classify that as curling. I did think that maybe it was going to bloom b/c of the bunching, but there hasn't been any sign of it and that plant has only been in the ground for about 8 months.
I have provided the plant with plenty of nutrient, actually I thought maybe I might be over fertilizing.. but I have laid off a bit as not to push the plant too hard during the cooler weather and possible frosts. If it is a deficiency the issue could be that the nutrients have not been available to the plant. The CEC of the soil might be the problem, even though I did amend it with a lot of organic matter.
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:34224.1.99999&bannertypeclick=wu_bluestripes"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/banner/ban/wxBanner?bannertype=wu_bluestripes&airportcode=KVNC&ForcedCity=Englewood&ForcedState=FL" alt="Click for Englewood, Florida Forecast" height="90" width="160" /></a>
I think it is over-fertilizing, and as a result your plant is being deprived of certain nutrients. This happened to me with my plants, and I ended up giving them calcium/boron deficinecy. That looks like it could be potassium deficiency though based on the curling. What I would do is give it some (not too much) fertilizer that's rich in potassium and see how it responds. Now I try to stay organic and lay off the chemical fertilizers, because it's easy to use too much of those and give your plants micronutrient deficiency.
Basjoofriend
11-30-2012, 12:51 PM
This might solve the problem in my chácara here in Lucianópolis. My housekeeper Antonio said to me that the soil here in my yard is not suitable to grow bananas, he was formerly banana farmer, 5 years ago he sold his banana plantation. There are No Go areas for bananas and areas to still grow bananas in my yard. Only where the soil is red, at the Antonio's vegetable garden and at the pond in the special garden for bananas there the bananas can be grown with success. I also have more success than my Japanese neighbour. The Japanese neighbour has grown bananas for 8 years, but no fruit yet and her bananas plants are of the poor growth. Recently I have even harvested bananas! But I want to grow more banana species, I am bananist like you. My soil is sand.
I want to translate it to Portuguese for Antonio, he does not speak English, but his kids speak English and his daughter is my guest daughter and does also speak German and lives in my house in Hamburg. I have one new printer with fax and scan options here, but still not acessed, his son will help me to acess it, then I will translate and print out for Antonio, he should read it!!! This will help to right fertilize the bananas in the sandy soil here!
In Israel there are also bananas growing, but there the soil is also sandy, desert sandy soil!
Best wishes
Joachim
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 01:09 PM
I am previously an organic farmer... so to use chemical fertilizers has been kind of a last resort. My plan is to build up the soil and transition over to organic. Sometimes a soil can have a good amount of organic matter, but the pH can mess up the CEC.. that could be happening esp. b/c I planted near a concrete foundation. I need to do soil testing for sure. I'm kind of cautious right now to use any N in fertilizer in case we do get some frosts. I'll have to search around for the right thing to use. I am a fan of fish fertilizer, but I haven't been using that lately because it is kind of weak on N-P-K for summer growth when you don't have great soil. Liquid seaweed fert. is only 0-0-1.. do you think that would put a dent in the problem.. maybe more of a foliar spray?
venturabananas
11-30-2012, 02:14 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51502&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51502)
I am no expert on banana nutrition, but to me this photo just shows normal scenesence of an older leaf, not nutrient deficiency. Guessing at nutrient deficiencies from a photo guide produced by a fertilizer company is not the best way to diagnose a deficiency. Have the leaf tissue analyzed by a reputable lab if you really want to know what is going on. Personally, I wouldn't be worried based on what I see in your photos.
But some of the folks who grow commercially should be able to give you better advice. Nick, Keith, anyone else?
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 02:20 PM
Thanks Mark. I thought it was normal up until I read the nutrient article and the K deficiency looked pretty close to my plant... being FL I wouldn't be surprised of any kind of nutrient deficiency that sprung up.
sunfish
11-30-2012, 02:24 PM
Warm weather deficiency
venturabananas
11-30-2012, 02:40 PM
Thanks Mark. I thought it was normal up until I read the nutrient article and the K deficiency looked pretty close to my plant... being FL I would be surprised of any kind of nutrient deficiency that sprung up.
It could be a K deficiency, but if so, it's not extreme given that its only affecting the oldest leaf. But really, tissue analysis is the only way to tell for sure. And keep in mind that climate affects the ability of the plant to uptake and transport nutrients, so it could be as simple as Tony says. There might be plenty of nutrients, but cooler weather is making it harder for the plant to absorb them and move them through the tissues.
caliboy1994
11-30-2012, 02:44 PM
Also I should point out that the first picture in the Calcium Deficiency section is actually Black Sigatoka. Apparently that's exacerbated by calcium deficiency.
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 02:52 PM
Seasonal change seems like a good reason b/c this is only happening in the past couple of weeks.. shorter days and some night temps near 40 degrees. Makes sense and two of the pups look a little bit exhausted as well. One thing about this particular plant is that with the angle of the sun lower in the sky.. this banana is actually much more shaded than in summer when it's in full, blazing sun. A lot of possibilities I guess. That was the point of growing this plant, to see how it does for one year. Thanks for the input on it. I might do some kelp as a foliar spray to see if it helps.
venturabananas
11-30-2012, 03:01 PM
I might do some kelp as a foliar spray to see if it helps.
It's worth a try. I found that kelp extract actually made my boron deficiency problems worse because it is primarily a growth stimulator, which is great, unless your plant can't get some of the nutrients it needs into the new tissues fast enough.
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 03:10 PM
Uh oh... that doesn't sound good. Can't win, huh? It might be worth trying though since this is basically just a test subject.
venturabananas
11-30-2012, 03:26 PM
Uh oh... that doesn't sound good. Can't win, huh? It might be worth trying though since this is basically just a test subject.
Absolutely. Experimentation is the way forward.
Nicolas Naranja
11-30-2012, 08:21 PM
That actually does look like potassium. Mobile nutrient with yellowing and necrosis of the apical margin. Bananas use an enormous amount of potassium. Potassium is readily leached from sandy soils. If you are using 9-2-12 or 6-2-12 you almost need 1lbs per mat per month. If you were using something like black cow manure, you would need 100lbs per mat per year. I've got some sandy areas on my newer land and it seems like I am constantly putting out fertilizer.
JodoGarden
11-30-2012, 08:37 PM
I've used a lot of cow manure just on that one plant. It has gotten a regular liquid feed of 20-20-20.. I do usually dilute it a little bit more than directed b/c that's pretty strong. I will also put some granular fert. on it... not being real specific about what I'm doing, but I side dress the plant regularly. A lot of times it's organic fertilizer so it's kind of weak. I just got some super potash today 0-0-60. It won't be immediately available to the plant and I'm a little bit cautious about using something that strong.. so I'll have to go light with it at first. I'm going to do some fish emulsion as a foliar spray in the mean time to hopefully boost the plant for now. Not much K in that though.
Yuri Barros
12-01-2012, 04:21 AM
I never used artificial products..............I´m a bit affraid to over fertilize..........
I use a simple mix..........
Cattle manure or Chicken manure............for N.............
Bone meal..............for P...........
Wood Ash..............for K...............
Also I use Organic matter from decaying leaves................Black Soil...............with lots of Earth Worms...................
Decaying Leaves releasing Tanin............that contributes to lower the PH............that Bananas like.................neutralizing some Ca Carbonates...........
It´s quite simple............................
caliboy1994
12-01-2012, 04:34 AM
It really is that simple. I use mulch and Milorganite. Back when I used chemical fertilizers, I put too much and gave my plants a micronutrient deficiency.
Yuri Barros
12-01-2012, 05:22 AM
It really is that simple. I use mulch and Milorganite. Back when I used chemical fertilizers, I put too much and gave my plants a micronutrient deficiency.
This is very intresting..............
sddarkman619
04-07-2013, 11:12 PM
I know this thread is old but I stumbled across the bunchy top virus thingy while looking at this post about fertilizers. Note the article talks about it being mistaken for nutrient deficiency, IE what you guys are talking about. It's not, it's a virus.
Here:
Bunchy top | Promusa - Mobilizing banana science for sustainable livelihoods (http://www.promusa.org/tiki-index.php?page=Bunchy+top)
Read how to get rid of it. pretty dismal...
Good Luck
caliboy1994
04-07-2013, 11:41 PM
So glad that it's not found in the continental U.S.
Zacarias
04-08-2013, 01:04 PM
I'm not an expert but I would be hesitant to fertilize bananas if nights are going into the 40s. Bananas stop growing and can't use the fertilizer.
flaflowerfloozie
04-09-2013, 10:31 AM
Oh I hope that's not what sddarkman619 suggests it might be...we don't need another rampant disease going haywire here in Florida!
As it is Florida's citrus is being attacked by so many issues right now, canker, greening and such. I fear we eventually won't be able to grow any fruit here!
Nicolas Naranja
04-09-2013, 03:17 PM
One thing that does happen here in Florida, which might look like bunchy top is choking.
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