Fertilizer management of tissue cultured cavendish banana

The experiment was conducted at the Campus Nursery of the Pangasinan State University-Sta. Maria Campus, Sta. Maria, Pangasinan, Philippines which is approximately three (3) kilometers from the town proper. This study generally aimed to evaluate the organic and inorganic fertilizer combination on the growth and yield performance of tissue cultured Cavendish banana. Specifically, it attempted to determine the best treatment level of organic and inorganic fertilizer and to determine the cost and return of the different treatments. The five (5) treatments replicated four (4) times were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments were: Treatment 1 – 100% inorganic fertilizer, Treatment 2 – 100% organic fertilizer, Treatment 3 – 75% organic fertilizer + 25% inorganic fertilizer, Treatment 4 – 50% organic fertilizer + 50% inorganic fertilizer and Treatment 5 – 25% organic fertilizer + 75% inorganic fertilizer. Based from the results obtained, the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer regardless of rates had comparable effect with the pure inorganic fertilizer application in the final height of plants. In terms of mid-trunk diameter, higher rates of inorganic fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer have comparable effect with the sole inorganic fertilizer application. The equal rates of organic and inorganic fertilizer outperformed all other treatments in the weight of fruits per plot in kilograms. On the net income and return on investment, organically grown banana obtained the highest.