Abstract

CHAVES C., Bernardo; CAYON S., Gerardo  and  JONES, James W.. Modeling plantain (Musa AAB Simmonds) potential yield. Agron. colomb. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.3, pp.359-366. ISSN 0120-9965.

Plantain is a basic food for more than 400 million people of the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Crop modeling has become a useful agricultural tool whose outputs not only facilitate the scientific study of crop physiological processes, but also the adaptation of farmers' crop management decisions. By using physiological and climatic data from two experiments on variety Dominico-Harton (Musa AAB Simmonds), a plantain potential production model was developed. Based on the results, Light Extinction Coefficient (k) and Light Use Efficiency (LUE) were respectively estimated as 0.2817 and 1.63 g MJ^-1. Likewise, aerial dry matter results allowed estimating partition coefficients for both the vegetative and the reproductive stage. Leaf, stem and corm dry matter were observed to increase in equal proportions during the vegetative stage. During the reproductive stage, only the stem was observed to increase its dry matter content (although not as much as in the vegetative stage), while leaves and corm were found to decrease it. A sensitivity analysis established LUE as the most sensitive parameter. In consequence, research efforts should be aimed at improving this conversion of radiant energy into dry matter.

Keywords : growth; dry matter; light extinction coefficient; light use efficiency; photosynthetic active radiation.

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