Abstract
Inadequate irrigation water management as well as soil drainage deficiency are considered as the main factors to cause salinization problems in irrigated areas of Northeastern Brazil. The present study had the objective to evaluate the effect of two sources of irrigation water (Well and Jaguaribe River) and three irrigation water layers (0.75 W, W, and 1.25 W) on soil salinity evolution, and on development and mineral nutrition of banana cv. Pacovan. The field experiment was conducted during two banana cros cycles in a Neossoil Fluvic eutrophic soil, in a completely randomized blocks and a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement with four replications and 24 experimental units and a total area of 3600 m2. The three applied irrigation water layers did not affect banana development and interaction between irrigation layers and water quality was not observed in all evaluated parameters. The higher salinity level of well water did not affect vegetative growth (plant height and pseudo-stem diameter) and plant mineral nutrition, but reduced number of bunches per raceme and raceme weight during the second yield cycle.
Key words:
Musa sp.; soil salinity; salt tolerance
