Abstract

The use of different water depths and soil surface soil surface wetted areas by micro-sprinkler irrigation systems results different wetted soil volumes and evapotranspiration conditions, which may cause changes in fruit production quality and quantity. The objective of this study was to evaluate yield, fruit physical characteristics and leaf area of ​​banana cv. Grand Naine under different irrigation depths and soil surface wetted areas in Northern Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in the period 2003 to 2006, involving three production cycles of 'Grand Naine' banana with planting spacing of 3.0 m × 2.7 m irrigated by micro-sprinklers. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replicates in a split-plot arrangement with three soil surface wetted areas in the plot and five irrigation depths as subplots. The irrigation levels were taken as fractions of crop evapotranspiration (ETc): 0.70; 0.85; 1.00; 1.15 and 1.30 ETc, and the soil surface wetted areas (Wa) were: Wa 1 of 10.17 m², with emitter of 20 L h^-1 and radius of throw of 1.8 m; Wa 2 of 23.74 m², with emitter of 63.6 L h^-1 and radius of throw of 2.7 m and Wa 3 of 28.26 m², with emitter of 60 L h^-1 and radius of throw of 3.0 m. Central fruit diameter and mean weight, leaf area and yield of 'Grand Naine' banana were not influenced by irrigation depths. On the other hand, smaller soil surface wetted area causes reduction in central fruit length and weight, leaf area and yield of 'Grand Naine' banana.

Key words: Musa spp., irrigation management, soil surface wetted area.