Soil fertility and mineral nutrition of an organic banana plantation in Tenerife

The soil fertility of an organic banana plantation in Tenerife and its relation to mineral nutrition was studied and compared with the sane variables investigated previously in conventional plantations. The pH of the organic banana plantation soils, as well as the levels of available Mg and Na, were similar to those of the conventional banana plantations. On the other hand, the values of organic matter and available P. Ca and K of the organic plantation soils showed averages significantly higher than those of the conventional plantations. As regards mineral nutrition, while the foliar N, K and Mg levels of the organic plantation to those of the conventional plantatios, the averages of foliar P, Ca, Fe and Zn were higher in the organic plantation, but the Mn and Cu averages were lower, although they did not fall to deficiency levels.