Banana Agronomy (2017-2020)

Begin
2017
End
2020
Crop
Banana
Description
Wageningen logo IITA-Uganda and the Plant Production Systems (PPS) chair group of Wageningen University have collaborated for almost 15 years on research on growth and nutrition of East African highland banana (Musa spp., AAA-EAHB). Currently IITA-Uganda and PPS are collaborating in two major projects on banana-based farming systems. The first project, described here, is led by NARO and named Improving scalable banana agronomy for small scale farmers in highland banana cropping systems in East Africa, Banana Agronomy in short (funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation). IITA-Uganda and PPS have three PhD-candidates in Banana Agronomy, focusing on:
  1. A fertiliser x irrigation trial for the parameterisation of a mechanistic banana growth model including nutrient limitation;
  2. Developing fertiliser and agronomic recommendations, and; 
  3. Testing how fertiliser-use is adopted in banana-based systems if subsidies and detailed training are provided. 

Moreover, a simple banana growth model based on the QUEFTS approach (developed by Bert Janssen and colleagues), FIELD-banana, is currently being developed. 

Project output:

  • The first project papers are currently in preparation


Contact person: Gerrie van de Ven