Understanding growth of East Africa highland banana: experiments and simulation
Abstract
East Africa Highland banana yields on smallholder farms in the Great Lakes region are
small (11−26 Mg ha−1 cycle−1 in Uganda, 21−43 Mg ha−1 cycle−1 in Burundi and 25−53
Mg ha−1 cycle−1 in Rwanda). The major causes of poor yields are declining soil fertility
and soil moisture stress. In order to improve production, knowledge on highland banana
physiology, growth patterns and response to fertilization is important, to establish the
potential yield of the crop, to quantify the yield gaps between potential and actual yield,