COMPARISON OF TWO MANAGEMENT LEVELS WITH AND WITHOUT THE APPLICATION OF FUNGICIDES TO THE PLANTAIN CROP AAB.

Abstract

The objetive of this study was to evaluate two levels of agronomic management: the more frequent agronomic practices of the farmers in plantain in the district of Baru; and the practices of technical management recommended by the IDIAP for this area. Each one of these levels was evaluated with and without application of fungicides to the foliage. It was determined that the variables of production as well as the quantity of fingers per bunch and the longitude of the fingers, are influenced by the type of agronomic management used. Meanwhile other variables of production as well as the weight per bunch and the thickness of the fingers, are more sensible to chemical control of sicknesses of the foliage. The implementation of technical agronomic practices with the chemical control of sicknesses of the foliage, guarantee an excellent production as to quantity and quality of the harvested plantain, but under the present conditions of the national market, it is more profit the application of the technical management without the implementation of chemical controls to the foliage. It would be recommendable, under the conditions of this research, to implement the agronomic practices and to carry out chemical controls against the sicknesses of the foliage only when it is strictly necessary.