IRRIGATION LEVELS AND GENOTYPES ON BANANA TREE FRUITS QUALITY AND YIELD

Abstract

Brazil is the fourth biggest banana producer. However, its social function is more important than the economic one. In this study, the productive features of banana tree genotypes, under different irrigation levels, and the sensorial characteristic for taste of ripe fruits were evaluated. The experiment was carried out from January 2004 to July 2005, with the following genotypes: false FHIA 18, Grand Naine, Prata, and Thap Maeo. After resting for two days in a cold chamber, the fruits were evaluated in the third, fourth and fifth days, for determining the preferred sample. The four genotypes presented significant results to irrigation. The water levels effect was verified in the weight of the bunch, rachis, and hands, and in the total number of fruits, bunch length and number of hands. The weight of the bunch and hands, and the total number of fruits, in the false FHIA 18, Grand Naine, and Thap Maeo genotypes, presented similar responses, except for the weight of bunch and hands, in Thap Maeo.  The effect of the water levels among the genotypes occurred on most variables, except for the weight and the number of fruits of the second hand and diameter of the central fruit. False FHIA 18 presented more variables influenced by the irrigation levels and, for Prata, the only influence occurred in the number of hands. The irrigation positively influenced the productive characteristics of the false FHIA 18, Grand Naine, and Thap Maeo banana trees, which showed to be promising for the Brazilian savannah region. Consumers prefer the Prata and Grand Naine genotypes.

KEY-WORDS: Musa sp.; Grand Naine; false FHIA 18; Thap Maeo.