The use of quality micropropagated banana seedlings is the first step for a successful orchard establishment and the acclimatization of seedlings must be done properly. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the biofertilizers HUMITEC® and RUTER AA® on the development of micropropagated banana seedlings produced in commercial seedling nurseries. Seedlings of cv. Grand Naine were obtained via micropropagation and subsequently transplanted into black polyethylene bags (1.5 L) containing subsurface soil (oxisol), rice hulls and the organic compost Organifol® (1:1:1). The experiment was arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial randomized blocks design (products and rates) with four replications and four plants per plot. The treatments were consisted of the following rates of biofertilizers: HUMITEC® (0.0, 4.0, 8.0, 16.0 mL plant-1) and AA RUTER® (0.0, 2.0, 4.0; 8.0 mL plant-1). Product rates were divided in two applications (28 and 56 days after seedling transplanting) applied by fertirrigation. The variables of this experiment were measured after 98 days of transplantation: plant height (cm), stem diameter (mm), total leaf area and individual leaf area, fresh and dry mass of shoots and roots (g). Data were submitted to variance analysis and F test, and when the treatment means were significant, regression equations were adjusted. The results showed that application of HUMITEC® and RUTER AA® promoted the development of banana seedlings and that the seedlings showed higher development during acclimatization on summer.
development; micropropagation; Musa spp.; Humitec®; Ruter AA®
