Growth, nutrition and yield of banana associated with cover crops and irrigation depths

The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth, nutrition and production of Prata Ana banana (Musa spp), intercropped with legumes and subjected to different irrigation depths. The experimental design was a randomized block split plot with five replications. The plots were formed by four irrigation depths: 50, 75, 100 and 125% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and the control subplots (conventional management without cover crops) and three types of cover crops intercropped with banana: spontaneous vegetation (VE), tropical cudzu in succession to crotalaria (CK) and calopogonio in succession to jack beans (FC). In banana crop, the height, pseudostem circumference, foliar concentrations of macro and micronutrients, production and crop cycle duration were evaluated. The use of legumes in the pre-planting and as a cover crop exerted positive influences on growth, nitrogen nutrition and yield of banana, partially replacing the N applied as mineral fertilizer. The use of legumes intercropped with banana represents an adequate alternative to provide N for banana.