Data on the effect of phosphorus on the development of banana are scarce. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the effect of the application of phosphorus on the development of banana "Prata Anã" growing in Red Latosol (RL) and Red-Yellow Latosol (RYL) and to determine the phosphorus critical level. The treatments were distributed in randomized design, in a 8 x 2 in factorial arrangement, with three replications. The factors corresponded to eight phosphorus dosis (0; 50; 100; 150; 300; 450; 600; 750 mg.dm-3) and two soils types, respectively. The dry mass production of banana seedlings increased with the applications of phosphorus in soils. The phosphorus soil critical levels in RL and RYL were 18.9 and 40.2 mg dm-3, respectively. In the leaves of banana seedlings growing in RL and RYL the phosphorus critical levels were 0.20 and 0.31 dag kg-1, respectively. The phosphorus was used more efficiently by banana seedlings growing in RL.
Musa sp.; nutrition; phosphorus buffer capacity
