Functional Trend in Leaf and Sucker Production of Plantain in Response to Paring and Organic Mulch

Abstract

The study investigated the functional trend in the response of leaf and sucker production in plantain to paring and two organic mulch materials: oil palm bunch refuse and sawdust in South Western Nigeria. A multifactorial experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design. Mulched treatments received either oilpalm bunch refuse or sawdust mulches at 6 and 11 months after planting of either pared or non-pared suckers in the field. Time course responses for area of youngest leaf opened, number of leaves and suckers produced were fitted with regression models using exponential, linear and polynomial (up to the fifth level, Quintic) functions. Paring stimulated exponential production of leaves and leaf area expansion from 8 to 15 months after planting while the type of organic mulch employed further influenced the functional response. Sucker production had a best fit into the quadratic function in all the treatments implying that sucker production would follow a similar trend over time irrespective of treatment. This study established for the first time in Nigeria that soil management practices would modulate time course response of plantain to paring of sucker planting materials.