Organic banana cultivation and sustainability

Description

The cultivation of conventional bananas of the commercial Cavendish variety for export markets in the wet tropics requires a substantial amount of synthetic agrochemical input. Over the last 25 years, organic banana production has soared in Latin America. This chapter describes organic banana production, identifying the key requirements for success: growing location, soil quality and the use of rotation. The chapter examines the importance of soil fertility and fertilization, disease management and managing nematode and insect pests. The chapter also focuses on weed management, and offers suggestions for further reading in this subject area.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Organic banana production 3 Key requirements: location, soil and use of rotation 4 Soil fertility and fertilization 5 Disease management 6 Managing nematode and insect pests 7 Weed management 8 Discussion 9 Where to look for further information 10 Disclaimer 11 About the author 12 References