9/22/2016 Fertilisingbananas

Fertilisingbananas
HowmuchfertiliserdoIneedfortropicalbananas?
Averageannualapplicationsare:

400kgofnitrogen(N)
50kgofphosphorus(P)
600kgofpotassium(K)
2t/haoflime/dolomite.

Theserelativelyhighfertiliserratesarenecessarybecausehighyieldingbananacropsextractlargequantitiesofnutrients
fromthesoil.Inaddition,thereisthepotentialforhighnutrientlossesinthewettropics.Soilandleafanalysesshouldbe
usedtoguideexactapplicationsforparticularsoilsandmanagementconditionsfromyeartoyear.

HowmuchfertiliserdoIneedforsubtropicalbananas?
Bananashavehighrequirementsforbothnitrogenandpotassium.Potassiumdeficiencyresultsinpooryields,softfruit,
andweakthinstems.SoilpHshouldbeintherangeof5.5to6.0,butbananascantolerateacidsoiltypes.Ifnecessary,
adjustpHusinglimeordolomite.

Cavendishbananasrequire,perstoolperyearforoptimumgrowth,about:

240gnitrogen(N)
40gphosphorus(P)
400to500gpotassium(K).

LadyFingerbananasrequireabout10%morenitrogenandpotassiumthanCavendish.

WhenshouldIfertilisesubtropicalbananas?
Goodresponsetofertilisersoccursduringperiodsofrapidgrowth.InSouthEastQueensland,thiscorrespondstothe
AugusttoAprilperiod,whereaveragedailytemperaturesareusuallyabove15C.Fertilisershouldbeappliedduringthis
period.

FourapplicationsatfourtosixweekintervalsarepreferableforLadyFingersandearlyplantedCavendish.However,itis
usuallyimpracticaltomakemorethanthreeapplicationsonanOctoberplantedcropofCavendish.Thisprovidesa
continuoussupplyofnutrientsduringgrowthperiods,andminimiseslossesfromleaching.

Ahigherrateisrecommendedforthefirst(spring)applicationtoprovideadequateresiduallevelsinthesoilafterwinter

Whatisthecorrectrateoffertiliserapplicationforsubtropicalbananas?
Fertilisingtheplantcrop

Preplantapplicationsarenotrecommendedbecauseduringdryweatherexcessiverootdamagemayoccur.

Applicationshouldbeginatemergence(abouttwotofourweeksafterplanting),whichcorrespondstoOctoberforLady
FingerandDecemberJanuaryforCavendishtypes.

Fertilisingratooncrops
Thefirstapplicationinratooncropsshouldbeappliedatsuckerset(thatis,whensuckersare150to200mmhigh).

Afterleachingrain
Ifheavyleachingrainsoccur,additionalnitrogen(N)andpotassium(K)shouldbeappliedatapproximately20%ofthe
normalratedeterminedafterasoilanalysis.

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/plants/fruitandvegetables/fruitandnuts/bananas/frequentlyaskedquestionsaboutbananas/fertilising 1/2
9/22/2016 Fertilisingbananas

Typeoffertiliser
PlantCrop(Sept
PlantCrop(OctNov Ratoon
Ratoon
Eitheramixed10:2:22N:P:Kfertiliser(forexample,Q7K)orstraightfertilisersmixedintheapproximateproportionsof

Plant)
Plant)

Crop
Crop

10:2:22N:P:Kmaybeused.Straightfertilisersarecheaper,butarelessconvenienttoapply.
Atemergence(Dec After2mths After4mths Atsucker
At After2 After4 After6
Nutrient Atemergence After2mths After4mths After6mths After2 After4 After6
Determinationofapplicationrates
Nutrient Jan)
(October) (Dec)
(FebMar)
(Feb)
(AprMay)
(Apr)
set
sucker mths
mths
mths
mths
mths
mths
set

Themostcomprehensiveandaccuratemethodofdeterminingtheamountofnitrogen(N),phosphorus(P)andpotassium
(K)toapplyistouseleafanalysisinconjunctionwithsoilanalysis.

Whatistherightapplicationrateofstraightandmixedfertiliserfor
subtropicalCavendishbananas?
StraightandmixedfertiliserapplicationsCavendish(rateperstool)

PlantCrop(OctNov Ratoon

Plant) Crop

Atemergence(Dec After2mths After4mths Atsucker After2 After4 After6

Nutrient
Jan) (FebMar) (AprMay) set mths mths mths

Straight 80g 80g 80g 96g 48g 48 48g

Nitrogen(N)

Phosphorus(P) 40g Nil Nil 40g Nil Nil Nil

Potassium(K) 170g 170g 170g 170g 170g 170g Nil

Mixed(Q7K) 800g 800g 800g 960g 480g 80g 480g

Whatistherightapplicationrateofstraightandmixedfertiliserfor
subtropicalLadyFingers?
StraightandmixedfertiliserapplicationsLadyFinger(rateperstool)

PlantCrop(Sept Ratoon

Plant) Crop

At
Atemergence After2mths After4mths After6mths After2 After4 After6
Nutrient sucker
(October) (Dec) (Feb) (Apr) mths mths mths
set

Straight 105g 53g 53g 53g 105g 53g 53g 53g

Nitrogen(N)

Phosphorus 44g Nil Nil Nil 44g Nil Nil Nil

(P)

Potassium(K) 140g 140g 140g 140g 190g 190g 190g Nil

Mixed(Q7K) 1kg 530g 530g 530g 1kg 530g 530g 530g

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/plants/fruitandvegetables/fruitandnuts/bananas/frequentlyaskedquestionsaboutbananas/fertilising 2/2