Agronomic performance of Banana ‘FHIA 18’ in response to phosphate fertilization

Phosphorus (P) use efficiency can be improved for banana (Musa ssp.) crops. The recommended phosphate fertilization rates can be reduced, depending on the cultivated genotype. The goal of this study was to identify the most appropriate P fertilizer recommendation for the banana cultivar FHIA 18. The rates of P applied in three production cycles were as follows: 0 (without fertilization), 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 kg ha−1 of P2O5 yr−1. The cultivar FHIA 18 requires an application of 55% of the recommended P fertilization (22 kg ha−1 P2O5) in the second and third cultivation cycles to reach maximum growth because of the increased pseudostem diameter. The results showed an increase in available soil P with increasing levels of phosphate fertilizers. Furthermore, the maximum P content in diagnostic leaves was obtained with 90% of the recommended phosphate fertilization rate (36 kg ha−1 of P2O5 yr−1). Yield increased with increasing P2O5 levels, reaching a maximum value (62.93 kg−1 plant−1 yr−1) with a lower P2O5 level than that recommended for other banana cultivars in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Thus, the cultivar FHIA 18 requires 26 kg ha −1 of P2O5 to reach its maximum yield.